Setting: a tempest of high desert proportions. A soccer game. Wind swirling, black clouds hanging ominously close to the ground, sheets of rain visible less than a mile north of the soccer fields.
2nd half of the game, other team is up by 1 point. The daughter gets fouled and ends up taking a free kick. A free kick. That's a kick around/over/through a line of the other team's players, aimed at the goal. The goal, of course, is to score. This seldom happens.
Daughter squares her shoulders, takes a cleansing breath, spies a teeny tiny opening and shoots. A rocket. Right through the opening and into the goal. Then gets a charming smile on her face. Then gets high fived by everyone else on the team.
And I do that little dance when it goes in, but not the one where the hips wiggle; that would be rude. Just the one where hands go up, fists formed, and a big smile comes.
Parents came up to me and said, 'How can you stand to watch when she takes those?? I'd be a wreck! And my daughter hates hates hates hates those so she avoids them like the plague!'
I just grin, and say, 'You know, she loves it. She loves the pressure, she loves knowing she can psych out the goalie with confidence and her body language. She loves having the chance to do it. It's just something she enjoys.'
Game was called just a few minutes later due to lightening. Yikes. Hate that stuff.
Love, love, love the girl who can keep her cool under pressure. That little characteristic is going to serve her well in life.
You go girl.
2nd half of the game, other team is up by 1 point. The daughter gets fouled and ends up taking a free kick. A free kick. That's a kick around/over/through a line of the other team's players, aimed at the goal. The goal, of course, is to score. This seldom happens.
Daughter squares her shoulders, takes a cleansing breath, spies a teeny tiny opening and shoots. A rocket. Right through the opening and into the goal. Then gets a charming smile on her face. Then gets high fived by everyone else on the team.
And I do that little dance when it goes in, but not the one where the hips wiggle; that would be rude. Just the one where hands go up, fists formed, and a big smile comes.
Parents came up to me and said, 'How can you stand to watch when she takes those?? I'd be a wreck! And my daughter hates hates hates hates those so she avoids them like the plague!'
I just grin, and say, 'You know, she loves it. She loves the pressure, she loves knowing she can psych out the goalie with confidence and her body language. She loves having the chance to do it. It's just something she enjoys.'
Game was called just a few minutes later due to lightening. Yikes. Hate that stuff.
Love, love, love the girl who can keep her cool under pressure. That little characteristic is going to serve her well in life.
You go girl.
Love that girl!
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