First Ever

The hot sunny weather people elsewhere think we frequently get in San Francisco (but we don't) is here this weekend and today it portended good things for the Palominos soccer team.

After a close first half, when they led 2-1, they broke it open with seven more goals in the second half. It was if, after years and years of trying, they suddenly collectively became hungry to score -- again and again. As their lead mounted, they sat down an additional player after each goal, but still the scoring barrage continued.

The heat may have bothered the other team but not the Palos. They won their first-ever blowout, 9-1, and by doing so have now almost certainly guaranteed themselves a winning season -- something they've never achieved before.

They also are unbeaten, with three wins and a tie with two scheduled games left. Then it will all come to an end, as this team disbands, the girls "age out," and a few of them proceed onward to the club level, the rest finding other activities in place of this sport.

I'm already mourning the loss of this special piece of my family life, on two levels. First, for my daughter, the years of hard work finally paying off, with her being a key part of the reason on defense, is a story I wish would keep going, for her sake, and mine.

One of the ways we bond is over soccer and I'm so proud of how hard she plays. She is in there every minute of every game, whether tired, hurt, or sick, because she has improved her conditioning and is a true competitor.

Second, for my son, the head coach, who has taken a team that always lost the majority of their games and has helped mold them into winners. It's funny how this has happened, and illustrative. he has not stressed winning or even games.

He's stressed conditioning and practice.

As the girls have gotten in better shape and learned better basic skills, their game play has improved as well. One thing flows from the other.

In that way, he has taught a life lesson, I think. The value of hard work. It's a value he knows form his own soccer career, which is also perhaps reaching some of its final chapters, as he becomes a senior in high school this fall and decides whether he wants to play competitively in college or not.

In life, for all of us, everything comes and goes.

After their spirited win today, one of the girls grabbed their coach's clipboard and scribbled the names of her six teammates who scored in today's match, and added the phrase, "We rock."

Yes you do, ladies. And so does your coach.

-30-