Soccer Picture Overload!

I really wanted to sign up our kids for a team sport this fall.  I think there's a lot of great character development that can come from playing team sports but I wanted something that was cheaper than $10 per week per kid, would take all my kids at roughly the same time, and wouldn't require too much time commitment (our weekday evenings are crazy enough!).  

Was that too much to ask?

When I first started looking into stuff, I began to think so.  Gymnastics was too expensive.  The soccer leagues wanted a 3 day a week commitment and $140 per player after uniforms.  Nobody offered swimming lessons for three age groups at the same time.  I got discouraged and decided we'd shoot for  finding something in the spring.

Then one day at Walmart I saw an SUV in the parking lot with "Kickin' Kids Soccer" splashed all over it.  It advertised "inexpensive" and "perfect for large families" (which I took to mean different ages at the same place at the same time).  I contacted them and fell in love: $35 per kid for six weeks of games, 20 minute practices before games, all games at the same time and same place on Saturday mornings.  PLUS, the registration fee included a team t-shirt, a team picture, and a trophy at the end of the season.

PERFECT!!  

The kids were really excited and now, four weeks into it, they're still loving it.

 Alden has found that he really likes playing goalie. 

 Alden's team is fun to watch because they're old enough to actually learn some soccer skills and work a little bit on team strategy.

 Eli's age group seems to still follow the ball around more or less in a large clump.  :)

 As for Gracen's age group, their soccer can be summed up in their coach's praise last week: 

"Good job, guys!  Most of us remembered which direction we were going this week!" 

 Hahaha.

 Still, all those little legs are pretty cute toddling around the field in their tiny cleats and shin pads.

 Thinking about her game strategy, no doubt.

 The best part?  Each game ends with snacks and drinks provided by a different parent each week.  Score!