As I alluded to in the reminder email for the session, the coaches were planning a special today - as we did last year, we went "coaches and parents vs. kids" for the final session!  Kudos to Simon (my son) for not only remembering this tradition, but also making sure it happened again this season!

As the day got started, the coaches huddled and put together the game plan: we start by taking it easy on the kids, keep the game even, then when it's almost the end, let the kids score the final goal, so they can walk away the winners.

The kids, on the other hand, had a very different plan!  As Coach K (the original one - Coach Keyvan, not the duplicate one at Duke U) said, he has never seen the kids more motivated to play!  

We started out the day normally.  The kindergartners and first graders played a great soccer mini-game, honing their skills for the final matchup.  The coaches even pushed them a bit harder than usual (hoping, against all odds, to tire them out ;-), but alas, it was of no avail!  The kids, with endless amounts of energy and newly learned soccer skills, wore out their coaches, passed and dribbled, and won!

The 2nd and 3rd graders immediately started playing a game.  As we do whenever we have full attendance, we broke out in two separate games.  Friendly "trash talking" began almost immediately between the two sides.  After about 3 minutes of playing (during which the kids scored the first goal, the coaches and parents started looking around, identifying medical equipment "just in case it was needed".  Fortunately, one of the kids needed a break, enabling the coaches and parents to catch their breath.  As time was running out, with the score tied, the coaches decided to put up a final stand in earnest (no more throwing the game - the competitive juices were flowing), but simply could not stop the onslaught.  These kids have truly have mastered the game.

On the 4th and 5th grade level - the coaches predicament was even more dire.  As Coach Paul hinted to the players that "Pablo the Robot" was coming to beat them all up, rather than cause fear and doubt, the tactic actually inspired the players.  Super Goalie Aaron Schwartz came wearing very serious looking goalie gloves.  All the players played intently.  The coaches and parents never had a chance.

It was a clean sweep for the kids - all very earned!

All this excitement was followed by our usual pizza and drinks awards ceremony, where each player received their trophy, and each team lined up to take team photos.

A special thanks to all who volunteered to make this season as special as it was:

Pictures below taken by Alyssa Lipman.

Enjoy your winter, see you in the spring for baseball!

Regards,

Ari