winning goal!

     Jake made the winning goal in his soccer game today, as well as the goal before that.  The Falcons were down one, and Jake tied us up, and then scored again, just at the closing whistle.  The team practically had him up on their shoulders, carrying him off the field!
     One of the really competitive moms approached me and said, "Wow!  The winning goal!  You must be so proud!  It's amazing to see Jake transform right before our eyes--think of where he was a year ago!"  I have no pride--it is true that Jake was the worst player on the team for most of the three years we have been here.  His first year, he tribbled the ball the wrong direction as often as he took it the correct direction, occasionally making a score for the other team.  As his private coach, my first training session for him was to identify the jerseys of the goalies so as to decide which direction to take the ball.  Today, by contrast, I was giving him instructions about scouting out a teammate before he passes, and where to stand relative to the goal if a teammate is throwing the ball onto the field so that Jake can score a goal.  Jake is now one of the highest scoring members of his team.  True, he is a year older and a foot taller than all of his teammates, but at least he is not that AND still struggling to keep up with the level of his teammates (which he was at the beginning of this season).
     After the game, he was in the ecstatic state of glory, reveling in it all.  I said, "Jake, you not only made the last two goals, but you passed the ball to the guy who scored the previous goal.  So really, you participated in all three of your team's goals!"
     He swiftly replied, "Yeah, and the other team scored their first goal when I was goalie.  So in fact, I participated in almost every goal in the entire game!!"
     We laughed and laughed together.  I LOVE that kid.