{"id":3261,"date":"2022-08-01T06:22:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-31T20:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/?p=3261"},"modified":"2023-09-08T12:38:29","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T02:38:29","slug":"enduring-soccer-seasons-and-embracing-community-sport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/enduring-soccer-seasons-and-embracing-community-sport\/","title":{"rendered":"Matters of life & love – Enduring Soccer Seasons and Embracing Community Sport: A Mother’s Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Sarah Tolmie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Reader Question:
<\/strong>\u201cMy kids play soccer throughout Winter. I really do not enjoy going. It is early, cold, often wet and I get very triggered by the loud shouty, almost bully parents on the sidelines. How do I endure? Is it ok NOT to go?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Dearly Beloved<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I really feel for you. When our two sons played soccer and AFL for a brief while too, we used the pray it would rain so that soccer would be cancelled and we could sleep\u2013in warm and snug. Some fields would be an hour away. It was an all\u2013round groan as it rolled around each week. Sometimes I would even notice the boys didn\u2019t want to go either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then this amazing thing would happen. You\u2019d go. It would feel like a nice \u2018community thing\u2019. Most of the time the kids would have fun. There\u2019d be a bacon and egg roll morning barbecue, cute little dogs would be vying for attention, and the sun would pop through sometimes too. You\u2019d chat to the other parents and get the news and know your kids\u2019 friends a bit better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of it all, you felt you did a good thing. The family had an outing and you had a real reason to run away from the housework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, hubby and I did a bit of tag teaming and lift sharing with other parents just to stretch out our endurance over the entire season. But here\u2019s the strangest thing. When it all ended for us, when our boys stopped playing for a while, and later, when they resumed as young adults with cars and driving themselves, we missed it! I\u2019d have to haggle with them to invite me to come and watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only this Mother\u2019s Day, I wandered down to watch my son now 19 years, play in an adult team with all his young mates. They had champagne and croissants for the \u2018mums\u2019 and a team photo with the mums at the end of the game. I can\u2019t tell you how proud I felt. Put in the hard yards, and life and love will deliver these sweet moments that make it all worthwhile.
Community sport is a great thing. Whether it is nippers, soccer, netball, football, swimming, cricket, water polo etc, if your kids want to do it, support them. If they are unsure, encourage them to try. If they really don\u2019t want to play, be a volunteer or supporter, because there is something about the community building, egalitarian, family friendly atmosphere that encodes inclusivity, respect and engagement in a child\u2019s ethos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as for those triggering parents on the sidelines. My approach was to stand with and amongst them. Have a friendly chat and find out about their community. Comment positively on both teams. Enthusiastically cheer great play from any player and applaud the goals of each team. Model that for the team and other parents and this can help to create a more friendly, fun and enjoyable atmosphere<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go well. Much love
Sarah x<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarah Tolmie<\/strong> \u2013 Life and Love: Sarah is a marriage therapist, life and love and relationship coach, end\u2013of\u2013life consultant, an independent and bespoke funeral director and holistic celebrant. She provides holistic care, mentoring, guidance, healing and transformation for individuals, couples and families at their most important times of life and love \u2013 at end\u2013of\u2013life, in love and relationship, and in ritual and celebration. Sarah has a relationship online course for couples called \u201cCreating a Miracle Marriage\u201d and a free resource and video series for families facing dying, death and grief called \u201cLandscapes of Life and Love and Loss\u201d. To find out more, visit www.sarahtolmie.com.au<\/a> and www.miraclemarriage.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Matters of life & love – Enduring Soccer Seasons and Embracing Community Sport: A Mother’s Journey<\/a><\/blockquote>