First time blogger

Okay this is probs the third time I have gone to write this blog. I cant seem to get out what I want to say and keep deleting before I post.

I get sidetracked alot.....So much I want to express.

I am a soccer mum and have been for the past 17 years. That's a long time..but seen as my mum and dad were never there for me when I played sport I always swore I would be there for my kids....Don't get me wrong...My mum and dad have always been there for me but never in the sporting capacity....They were never "sports minded" like I was...

Anyways, my daughter started playing soccer at the ripe old age of 5, no other sport took kids that age and I tried a few and she was so active she needed to do something...so Soccer it was....She started playing in the local boys comp where latter it became mixed but when she was playing she was one of a very few that were playing in the Comp. I remember one of her games in the first couple of years she was playing in under 6's, you know the one where the group of kids on the field just follow the ball around like a group of sheep. Anyway the game, at that age was only 15 mins per half and 7 kids per team on the field, at half time my daughter and another little boy by the name of Dylan McGowan (plays for Hearts now) had to be taken off the field. Not because they were terrible but because between the 2 of them they had scored 19 goals by half time and the coach decided that the other kids needed to get a touch of the ball. So began her outstanding career...

Rach played with boys up until she was 12 years old and then was told by the association here that if she wanted to get into national teams that she had to play in the girls division. In hindsight I wish she had of stayed with the boys longer. 12 years old and she had to start in the under 17 girls competition as anything lower was just a waste of time. As it was she played int he Under 17s and then filled in for the State League women's team so was playing 2 games when the times wouldn't clash. She played a total of 18 games for the under 17s and also played 9 games for the senior team and ended up getting Highest goal scorer for the senior women's team for the season...

So maybe Ill write a bit at a time so I dont bore everyone with my ramblings....although no one probs will read it any way...

Big things are coming for my daughter and Im so proud of her....I just want to shout about it but cant at present so I will stick to writing the past and hopefully by the time I get to the future I can share great news....

Next blog I will share the next few years of her soccer life.. Stay tuned till then... and please feel free to leave comments...:)

Tags: australia, soccer

Favorite

4 members favorited this

Next Post >

Add a Comment

You need to be a member of Womens Soccer United to add comments!

Join Womens Soccer United

Comment by Eric Bauer on February 22, 2013 at 17:10: @Women's Soccer United - My brother and I coached for a number of years at the recreational level, and even some indoor soccer, but stopped some time ago when other commitments started encroaching. I'd love to get back to it. As fun as playing is, coaching is so much more rewarding.

Comment by Women's Soccer United on February 22, 2013 at 16:31: @Eric - Your comment made me laugh 'Centipede Soccer', I can just picture it now.

It is a shame Sarah Elliot was not able to develop her game but like you said she went on to have a very successful and happy career so that is something.

Are you still coaching now @Eric?

Comment by Asa on February 22, 2013 at 16:24: @Eric thank you for you sharing your own experience

Comment by Eric Bauer on February 22, 2013 at 15:58: "you know the one where the group of kids on the field just follow the ball around like a group of sheep"

When I was growing up (Wisconsin USA), they called it "Centipede Soccer". I coached 6-year-olds for awhile, and there was no keeping them in positions. The fastest player on my team was a girl named Sarah Elliot, and the boys only saw the back of her jersey the whole year. Unfortunately, we didn't have as good of a system as yours back then, so she ended up languishing on girls teams for years and never developed as a player. It sounds like people are really working to make it happen for your daughter, and I look forward to more blogs.

By the way, Sarah ended up a fantastic speed skater (world record holder at the junior level), so the story ended up a happy one.

Comment by Women's Soccer United on February 22, 2013 at 10:00: Hi Beverley, I really enjoyed reading your blog. I remember the days of every child running after the ball at that age group, but what a talent your daughter and Dylan McGowan had even at that early age to stand out from the crowd.

It is a shame she had to stop playing in the boys team at 12, if I remember correctly that was the same age in England that you were 'not allowed' to do that anymore, (although I think this has since increased since I was playing). I think it's because they don't want the girls' quality to be better than the boys! But on a more serious note, it is a shame that they suggested this as it can damage a girls' development if she is unable to compete with others who are at the same level as her. It sounds as though this did not effect your daughter's progress though which I am pleased to hear.

I am looking forward to your next blog to find out more, thank you for sharing your story with WSU.

Comment by Asa on February 22, 2013 at 9:26: Looking forward to your next blog

Comment by Asa on February 22, 2013 at 9:22: @Beverley for the blog,19 goals before half time just shows how much talent they both had.