Another season has ended

We've been here before.

Once again we've come to the end of another soccer season. What began back in late July with recruiting coaches, organizing registration, forming teams and laying out soccer fields, is over for the year. No more striping fields on Friday nights. No more driving over to the church to unlock gates and put out signs on Saturday mornings. No more taking down flags and moving goals on Saturday evenings.

Until next fall, that is.

This was my fifth year coaching one of my daughters' teams. It also marked the last time I will ever coach a Pre-K soccer team.

There's something truly remarkable about watching a group of three-, four- and five-year olds learning how to dribble and control a soccer ball. It's so fun at that age. The kids, for the most part, have no idea who won or lost. They don't care. It's not important. Putting on a uniform, running around in front of their parents and grandparents and having a snack afterward - that's important.

There was great joy in watching a group of kids come together to learn the game. There is a sense of accomplishment seeing how they have improved over the course of two months. And there is a sense of sadness that, once again, it's over for the year.

On the other hand, now the girls and I will get to do our little projects at Lowe's and Home Depot on Saturday mornings. We can do a craft at Lakeshore Learning. In the spring time we can go back out to Zube Park and ride the mini-steam trains.

And, come next September, we can put on our uniforms and head out to play ball.