started soccer on Saturday....sort of!

[Ericsmomma]

Morning all,

I had signed Eric up for a "little kicker" soccer league at our local YMCA. It was kids ages 3-5...a beginners team. I had spoken to the director who encouraged me to enroll Eric, even tho he would be the only child on the team with a diability. I thought it would be fun, and he loves being around other kids. We had our first practice/game this past Saturday. The families were all very nice and the coach is a nice, patient man. Eric did
Ok during practice...kicking the ball alittle, clapping, etc.
But then he started doing the "plop"...you know, when he doesn't want to do something he just sits down...anywhere, anytime, any place!! I totally HATE that!! So I end up lugging him around the field, and when the game started, he was doing the same thing, so I took him "out". ( I was afraid he would get run over by the other kids). We ended up sitting on the sidelines, very content to watch the game!
I was very bummed out...I really thought he would enjoy doing this, but he really wasn't into it. In his defense, the game was very early in the AM..(8am) and Eric is not a morning person...likes his sleep time!
We don't have another game till next week, so maybe it will be better. I guess I'm just feeling sorry for myself...
you have expectations for your child, and when things don't work out, it kinda leaves you wondering if maybe you expect too much. Oh, well! There's always next time.......Dolly

[Jessie]

Oh Dolly, sorry he did the flop and drop on you!

Are you going to continue to take him? Maybe he just needs to warm up to everyone and the task.

Jason would not participate at Special Olympics practices the first few times we took him, he just clung to one of the women that run it. It took him a while to warm up to the other kids, etc.

Also, there's that issue that maybe he doesn't feel he can do something as well as the other kids and so he would rather not try?? Hang in there, he might start to enjoy it.


Jessie

[Connie]

Dolly,

Been there!!! Last year was Collin's first year of soccer and for practices I had to be out on the field or he would just sit there. His coach was a woderful man and always tried to get Collin involved. Our big problem was Collin looked at it as beeing FOOTBALL and would tackle the kids but I can say by the last game he had stopped tackling but if a child would fall down dramatically he would then DOG PILE!!! But, it was an improvement.

We did sign him up this year so it can only get better RIGHT!?!?!

Connie

[ALLISA]

LOL

Isn't that the way !

Don't forget that ANY kids who do a sport for the first time usually behave the opposite of how we think they will ! They may not all Drop & Flop......but in their own way they are doing the same thing !

I remember when my sons (no disabilites) would play baseball and they'd be looking for rocks on the ground....watching for the ice cream man.....picking their nose (ugh)......anything,......but what they were SUPPOSED to be doing....watching the game and waiting for the ball to come to them !!

So don't fret too much......I think all kids do that their first time out !! Try to give him a soccer ball at home & let him get used to dribbling it.....

Good luck next week !!

[CC]

OMG CONNIE, LOLOL to the "DOG PILE!!!" YUP Chris did that too years back, LOL

DOLLY girl, give it time girl, this is all new. I say just look at this year in soccer as a getting ERIC use to it, KWIM?? It gets better I promise you that ;D

HUGS

CC ~