GOAL!

Tyson had his first soccer game of the season on Saturday.  Technically, it's his first soccer game ever.  He's been saying that he wanted to get into soccer for a while now, becoming more insistent after attending that week-long camp during the summer.  Randy went on to register him and found it was the exact last day we could.  I'm so glad he checked when he did!

I had spent the morning cleaning up from another project and only had mopping left, so I told Randy to go on ahead, and that I wouldn't be far behind.  I was just rounding the corner to his game when Randy called-- "Tyson just scored the first goal of the game!!"  I had missed it by TWO minutes!  Not to worry, I had another chance to see my boy make the goal.

 Tyson's back is to us-- number 23.

 Kneeling next to his coach on the right.

 Starting kicker, looking for the perfect teammate.

Fairly close to the end of the game, the goalie for the other team was kicking the ball away from their goal box.  Almost immediately, Tyson ran up from behind all other players and kicked it in, to the amazement of everyone, including himself.  There is no better feeling than watching your son, who has just done something he wanted so much but didn't think he could, actually do it.  He turned around, running in a victory lap with his arms pumped in the air, screaming in excitement, his team following close on his heels.

His team did not win, not by a long shot.  I wondered how Tyson would feel, since he is so competitive.  But there was no thought in his head other than how well he did-- he scored all of his team's goals.  In a way, how great the other team was makes Tyson's goals that much more amazing.

Randy admitted he missed getting a video of Tyson scoring the goal.  "The camera was up, poised for the perfect moment, but I was so shocked and distracted by what I was watching, I forgot to press record.  I was so proud, I felt like crying.  It was really incredible."

When we got home, Tyson told us all how much fun he had had, how much he loves soccer, and that he couldn't wait for his next game.  He's counted down the days since the second his first game ended.