As some of you may know, I coach youth soccer in Moorhead. I got into it strictly as a way to spend time with Macy. I didn't know anything about the game when I started; I grew up in the south, where you play baseball or football or both. I had no exposure to soccer until high school and then only because I went to Jesus school rather than Harris County High.
I got a call tonight from a fellow coach wanting to know if I was going to get my "E" license which would basically allow me to coach travelling teams. I had been dreading this moment since I found out about the training. To make a long story short, I told him I wouldn't be attending the training.
I don't want to coach soccer that long. At some point Macy is either going to quit playing soccer or advance enough to the point that she needs coaching from someone dedicated to the game. In the former case, I would stop coaching youth soccer. In the latter, she would need a better coach than me.
Coaching at a higher level than I'm at today is not something I have the will or time to do. I feel guilty for saying that, like I'm letting youth soccer down. But it's the truth. I'm actually feeling pretty good right now. Not so long ago I would have gone to the training and committed myself to coaching indefinitely so that I wouldn't let anybody down.
This way, nobody's under any illusions about my plans and I won't be stuck doing something I might grow to loathe. I just want to coach Macy while she's young and playing the game to have fun. At some point in the next few seasons it will be time for me to get out and just watch. I've had a lot of fun on the sidelines and will continue to do so. But shooting pictures and video is going to be a blast too, and I'm looking forward to it.
Yeah, actually, I feel really good right now.
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