BAUER'S FIRST ORGANIZED SPORTS EXPERIENCE

A few weeks ago, a friend asked me if Bauer would like to play soccer with a couple of other little boys in the neighborhood. I was so excited! Brian and I have both been saying how we wanted to get Bauer into sports and I have been really looking forward to going to watch my sweet boy play. So we signed him up and Brian offered to coach. Today they had their first practice and all the kids went to Marv Jenson to meet their coaches and team. I was a little worried about Bauer. He is still pretty young for sports and is REALLY shy. The poor kid got my social anxiety. He did alright at first and he stood and listened as Brian talked to the kids but then when it was time to split up and kick the ball around, he grabbed around my leg and started to cry. "I want to hold you. I hurt." We tried and tried to get him to play but he refused. He latched onto my leg and just kept crying. I finally picked him up and took him away to have a little talk. "Bauer - you need to be a big boy and play soccer like you said you wanted to. I'm not going to leave you. I will be right here." It took a little love and lots of encouraging words but I finally got him to go back to the team. The rest of the practice he was just fine. He went on his own and followed directions and did everything he was asked. Whew! The next practice is on Tuesday and their first game is Saturday so we will see how he does at those. Hopefully he will get better and better. And I don't know, maybe this will help him to not be so shy too. We'll see.