Kindergarten Soccer - A Gathering of Serious Athletes

Today I thought I would share a little lesson in the "sport" of kindergarten soccer. If you think you know the rules of soccer, set that information aside. It does not apply to kindergarten soccer. It's a whole new world people.

First, we keep things real, and fun. Here is Sophie and her best girlfriend, Jillian. They are on the same team. This can be both a good (they LOVE each other) and a bad (they LOVE each other) thing. They spend a lot of the game hugging, and dancing and laughing with each other. When Max was in kindergarten soccer, he liked to lie down on the field and watch the planes pass overhead.


Kindergartners tend to travel in packs. They find it is more effective this way as there is no need to ever pass. Ever.


Sometimes, when they are all kicking the ball and no one is moving, they get creative. Right after this photo, a little guy on the red team picked up the ball, moved out of the group, put the ball down and headed off towards the goal. Very clever, red team. This is why they ultimately won the game - it's called innovation.

Jillian is demonstrating an excellent advanced kick technique here - but where is the ball?

Sophie finds it helpful to do a bit of zen meditation on the field. She finds the good karma most helpful.

See? Look at the results! Here she is flying down that field in hot pursuit of the ball - or to give Jillian another hug.
Here Sophie collaborates with the other team to redefine the goal. They simply pick up the cones defining the goal space and move them where they are more convenient. So easy, and yet so effective.

I'm pretty sure this is illegal even in kindergarten soccer.


Here Sophie gets tough and lays one on that poor kid from the other team.

Are you following? Here is a quiz for you - which way are each of the teams supposed to be heading? Can you tell from the photo below?

Ouch - Sophie takes one for the team. Wait, that guy is on her team! why is she trying to steal the ball from him?

Sophie is evidently "open" in this shot. 99% of kindergarten soccer is throwing the ball back in from out of bounds. Sophie is merely indicating that she is open - along with every other kid on her team and conveniently, they are all in the same spot.


I don't know why these red players are consoling each other - they did technically win the game. How they bested our superior skills and speed is beyond me!


Only a few more weeks of this on-the-edge-of-your-seat action! Go team!