Christian - our soccer star!

What parent doesn't love everything their child is involved in - other than the driving to and from!? Well, I am especially impressed by my son, Christian. However, as a parent you always think your child is great! Well, in the past few months we have been told time and time again by people we know and don't know that 'this kid is a dynamic player. He has control of the ball and can handle it like kids twice his age.' When other people start commenting, I start to realize that he must really be good. He is a soccer extraordinaire - he has enjoyed soccer from early on, but in the past year and a half - soccer has become his passion. He LOVES soccer and anything to do with soccer. He can either be found playing soccer, watching soccer on a station dedicated to what else - soccer, or dreaming about his pro career in the MLS or English Premier League. He has extended an open invitation to all our friends and family to come watch him play in England.

He played AYSO for the past 3 seasons and has done awesome - he chose this spring/summer to pass on any other activities and devote his time to a summer soccer league - his last game was this past Saturday and he is already counting down the days until his next team begins practicing. After every game he asks both Brandon and I what our favorite play was, or which goal we liked the best - a simple answer won't do, we have to tell him move by move which play we liked, he then proceeds to give an overview of the entire game himself - just to relive it. Truly, I think this love for soccer qualifies as an addiction. Brandon and I have not pushed him to play soccer, in fact we have tried to get him interested in other things - we don't want to be 'stage parents' or get him burned out before he's too old, but it's him - he lives, breathes, dreams soccer. A few weeks into the summer soccer league (it is part of the Bakersfield Brigade, a minor league soccer development team) he was 'scouted' by the head coach for CSUB soccer, who is also associated with the Brigade. He approached Brandon and let him know that they were interested in inviting Christian to be a member of the under 10 soccer club - mind you Christian is not even 8 and still has to play on the under 8's for AYSO - he would be playing with 9 and 10 year old boys. Brandon told the man that we would need to discuss it as a family. Well, it has been discussed and discussed, and we have decided that we will let Christian try it out and if it's not something that he enjoys - he can leave at any time.

His favorite English Premier Soccer team is West Ham United - they were having a not so good season and it looked like they would be regulated (kicked out of the league). Brandon and his friend Dave, thought for sure they would be regulated, but Christian kept the faith and knew they could pull it out. Come back they did and ended the season on a high note. Next week Brandon and Christian are going to 4 pro soccer games to see the LA Galaxy, Chelsea (English team), and a couple others. If he's lucky he'll see David Beckham.

It is so nice to watch him as he grows - mentally, physically, and spiritually. He is an intelligent, kind hearted, and talented young man who has great goals that we know he can achieve. Just let me say - I'm glad it's soccer and not baseball (I find baseball games rather slow).