I never pictured myself as a soccer mom.

A football mom – absolutely. A soccer mom? No. But that’s what I am now.

Today was opening day for soccer season. We have 3 little soccer players in our family. Ages 6-8. The weather radar was looking remarkably grim. A blanket of green with swaths of yellow heading our way. The kind of day that makes you want to curl up on the couch and watch football.

Instead, I took the twins to their first soccer game of the year. In the rain. Emails were pouring into my blackberry from the soccer higher-ups saying, “Games are ON. Kids love to play in the rain. Bring Umbrellas and towels.”

“Hmmm”. I think, “They must not have met my kids.”

We got to the fields. It was raining. We farmers call it a soaking rain. We received the kids’ uniforms and had to go to the bathroom to change. (Why they can’t EVER give us the uniforms until the morning of the first game – I will NEVER know.)

As we returned to our game, already in progress, I was amazed at the number of people who turned out. “Seriously?“ I thought.

Settling in to my burnt orange Texas Longhorns spectator chair, I prepared for wetness. (I don’t do umbrellas, as a rule. Too much hassle… After today, I may re-think that policy.)

One twin quit soccer on the spot. “I’m cold and wet and I don’t want to play soccer,” she wailed. I held her in my lap and tried to warm her with my wet arms and chilled raincoat. Our fingers were wrinkled prunes by the end of the first quarter.

Eventually the twins both played in the game. As I watched them, I realized that sitting in the rain watching them play was part of the deal where you will do anything for your kids. I wasn’t running into a burning building or anything, but I was sacrificing my comfort and good sense for my babies’ sporting event.

As the game dragged on, I watched the assistant coach’s shoes sink deeper and deeper into the spongy wet grass with each step. The grass was slowly turning into mud. A large puddle developed on the field and the players began to slip and splash through it, coming out the other side looking like wet puppies, dripping with mud.

Watching the standing water get higher, I was reminded of a football game I attended while in college. I had traveled to Baton Rouge to see LSU play the #1 ranked Florida State Seminoles. It was a deluge. And we, the fans, didn’t care. LSU stunned everyone by upsetting the #1 Seminoles that night in Tiger Stadium. As we left the game, every single article of clothing was wet, even though we were wearing ponchos. We waded through waist deep water as we left the game – Ecstatic. We were full of joy and the promise that anything was possible.

I decided to re-channel that same joy that I had felt at the LSU game into the girls’ soccer game. It didn’t matter who won. (The coaches are always telling them, “We don’t keep score.”) But watching children, parents, and the whole community, come out in the rain for the kids and the love of sport…well, it makes you feel full of joy and promise, and that anything is possible.

Rain on.

DJ Playing with the kids

Playing, of course.

Meet DJ Fluker. This big guy is the 2nd ranked offensive tackle recruit in the nation. He’ll be playing football for the Alabama Crimson Tide next Fall. My son and I were fortunate enough to meet DJ at a birthday party, of all places. Originally from Louisiana, DJ and his family were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. His family moved to Baldwin County where this year he is a senior at Foley High School.

DJ and our boy

In his free time, DJ works at Swatters Sports Complex, an indoor facility with batting cages and a soccer field. It was obvious DJ loved playing with the kids.

DJ's size 22 shoes have to be specially made.

Watching DJ with those little boys makes you realize that his heart may be as big as his feet!

The Sabin nation is lucky to have him.

Roll Tide.

(except when playing Texas, just had to throw that in)
Thanks Lori and Scott for a fun afternoon!