Score 7 - 0

The season is already halfway over. All 18 of the Jets have arrived at the field for warms- up drills. It’s a beautiful sunny spring day - not too hot - not too cold - just right!

The Jets are busy doing the pre-game warm up drills when the Blue Devils arrive. All ---8 of them? It’s less than 5 minutes before the game starts. Ahh...here comes one more. We are sure that more are coming but must be late. Minutes pass by and no one else arrives. Where is the rest of the team? Well after much discussion between the parents, coaches and players we found out the Blue Devils have fallen on hard times. They only have a total of 9 players left on the team. Will they forfeit? NO! What spirit those girls must have! What is Coach Al going to do, you ask? This is what he did...

We have exactly 18 players on the Jets team. He divided the team in half. 9 on Team 1 and 9 on Team 2. That gave us the same number of players on the field as the Blue Devils. Each of our teams were to play 8 minutes and 45 seconds and then Coach Al would call “SUB”! At that time Team 1 would leave the field and Team 2 would go to the field. This game was going to be used as a time for practicing skills. Coach Al told the girls to “go out there and razzle and dazzle them (everyone watching) with your skills.” Razzle and dazzle they did!

The Blue Devils deserve a lot of credit. They never gave up. They challenged and ran hard. With no substitutions these girls became tired quickly. The Jets did use their skills. They challenged each other with playing aggressive, Step on Step off, using your drops, changing the field! In the second half a new twist was added. Goals could only be scored with the left foot and players were put in to positions they usually never play. This adds a little confusion but the girls took on the challenge.

As team Mom and fan of these girls I watched 18 young ladies practice good sportsmanship today. They could have gone on that field and totally demoralized the other team. They did score a lot of goals but not in a crushing way. The Blue Devils challenged each of those goals as if it meant the game to them. When the teams lined up for the good bye, good game greeting I saw smiling faces on BOTH teams! That told me that all 27 girls on that field had FUN today. That’s what it is really all about to begin with!

Game Statistics:
GOALS:
1st half: Haylie
Bell
Sam
2nd half Fatima
Brooke
Erin (first goal of the season)
Lakin
Shots on goal: I think everyone got at least one attempt for a goal!
MVP: Shelby Grimes -- she worked the field extremely hard today!
WAY TO GO GIRLS! You make me very proud to be one of your Team Moms!
Respectfully submitted ---Kaye