Soccer, Cornbellies, and Class parties

Their fun coach had a costume soccer practice.  Sweet seeing the team squeal and run over when I dropped off Sophie and Sage.  They enjoyed seeing everyone in costume.

A super cute, and talented team

Top it off with glazed doughnuts, what every soccer player needs.

The team met later that week for a fun night at Cornbellies!

Awesome corn maze this year, U vs. BYU, the girls had fun finding their way.

Class parties

pin the mouth on the skeleton VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

 

Fun Friends! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

 

spiders and gunny sack race VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Their official costumes.

Who knew racoons and clowns were besties?  At least these two are (90% of the time anyway).  Sophie cracks us up!  They both do, personality plus!

The girls were excited to go trick or treating with a close friend from school (they have such good friends).  They brought the group up to our neighborhood since our neighbor gave out full size candy bars, lol.

Then off to see both Grandma’s.  Trevor went to a Halloween party with friends, no more trick or treating for him.  Now, to figure out what to do with all that candy.  Last year they sold most of it to their dentist, it went to the troops.

Sweet Soccer Summer!

Warning: there may quite a few soccer pics (catching up), and a little well earned mom bragging below.

Yahoo!  They won their first tournament (with Avalanche) this summer in the LaRoca Cup.  Playing hard, after losing their first game in the four game tournament, they stepped it up and turned it around to win the rest.  Great smiles on their faces with such an accomplishment. 

This was a tough one, but they did it again in the challenging Sparta Cup.  Coming in as the underdog against Sparta (Sophie and Sage’s old team), they played their hearts out and took first!  It was so fun to watch, Sophie made the first score.

Class act coaches!  They build character, team playing, and respect, while developing great soccer players.  Thanks Coach Jimmie  (gentle giant) and Katie!

A sweet frozen custard celebration at Nielsen’s for Sophie’s hat trick and Sage’s many assists!  Trevor’s always there to cheer his sisters on, and vice versa.

Sophie’s smile after a tough score.  She’s pretty stoic on the field and takes the game serious although she’s loving it.  She doesn’t make a big deal after she scores, but every once in awhile, after battling through and making a tough score, you see this great look on her face.  Way to go Soph, with your killer left foot! 

congratulating her with some high 5’s

off to win the ball, speedy girl!

using her whole body. 

Hmmm, I wonder what team the background parents are rooting for?  They don’t look too excited :)

Dynamic Duo, the two forwards.  Sophie may be the top scorer, but Sage helps with great assists and goals.  They read each other so well on the field, it must be a twin thing :).

Back rubs after a game (Sage), getting ready for the rewards ceremony

On a roll, they won the Mayor’s Cup.  Winning gold in all their summer tournaments.  Well done girls, and great coaching Jimmie!

Enjoying…

 

BFF’s

Sage left her medal in the car

With the Avalanche Soccer Director

Love our soccer girls and their fun team!

Playing in Park City

New Park Resort VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Refreshing!  The girls aren’t supposed to swim much before a game (coach’s orders, relaxes the muscles), so they get 20-30 minutes pool time until after their games.

 

Stunning view of the Olympic Ski Jumps from the townhouse.  The other side is charming with good restaurants, shops, movie theater, bowling alley, etc.  Great accommodations.

Nice open floorplan, large windows, and striking wood floors on the main floor.

 

R & R for Trevor, each condo has a private hot tub on the deck

ready to score

We treated them to a fun activity, since the boys were so supportive to come to each game and cheer their sisters and the team on, plus we were celebrating Josh’s high school graduation (yahoo, post coming).  Unanimous- they chose the Alpine Slide.

 

~Start off to a great summer~ 

12 more days before Josh leaves on his mission, can’t say enough how much we’re going to miss this kid, but we’re very happy for him! 

Wishing you all a fabulous summer!

The love of the Game [Park City Tournament]

Leo the Lion from REAL with our soccer lovin’ girls

Sophie and Sage are known around here as the Sparta Twins, the Avalanche girls, or the soccer twins…  Such natural athletes and right at home on the field, parents often tell me how much they enjoy watching them play.  They give it their all as they practice twice a week, with games on the week-ends, they love it!  They’ve made great friends and have learned a lot about team playing- playing your position, passing the ball, talk (call for the ball when open), along with improving individual skills...

great foot work to win the ball (Sophie)

they may be the smallest on the team, but it seems to work to their advantage, they’re so fast with great footwork, and not intimidated a bit by the bigger kids

Limber Sage, I love how she plays with her whole body.  She has such strength in her legs, although she’s a pussycat off the field.

Sophie, great form, she reads the ball so well

Sage, calling for the ball, great leadership skills on the field.

Sophie (right), Sage (middle), and their good friend Sav (left), read each other and play so well together to make the goals.  They’re also happy with a good goalie and strong defenders. They won 2 out of 3 in the Park City Tournament.

beautiful Sophie, focused on her game

I do say little prayers often that they won’t get hurt or get a concussion (Sage got hit hard in the head with the ball a couple months back, knocked her over but she got right up).  The older they get, the more intense it gets. 

Water break at half time, we were short some players so they didn’t get much of a break during the game. 

It was nice playing in beautiful Park City, although over 7000 feet, it got hot.  This was their last game together with Allie, they’ll miss those who didn’t make the new team :(.

With their awesome coach, Allie (she played for San Diego U).  Telling me how much she loves our girls and how great they were to coach, they’ll miss her too!

Windy hair day :). 

My friend gave out these cute awards…  Sage- “the player you shouldn’t underestimate, she can kick out of this orbit!”  Sophie- “the player who Skor’s!  Not only did she get a hat-trick this season, but the only one who has scored two points against the number 1 team.”  Thanks Leslie!

You can say I’m a soccer mom, I’ve really enjoyed watching their games and seeing them improve as a team.  Don’t worry, I’m not the obnoxious type, I don’t eat, drink, and sleep soccer, like the mom that rings the cowbell every time her team scores (anyone want to sit by her?), or the mom who wasn’t happy about losing to us yesterday yelling commands at her daughter- “Don’t kick the ball and watch the other girls (my girls) fall on their a**, real classy lady, it takes all types…  But for the most part, it’s pretty professional with good sportsmanship, I’ve enjoyed getting to know the parents and cheering our girls on. 

Love our cute athletes!

Sage #2, Sophie #4

Kicken It!

Soccer highs and lows…

long post, but want to record this for our girls

Beautiful soccer girls, their blood red cheeks and lips from playing so hard :)

Our girls are passionate about many things…  but Soccer and Piano are two of their favorites.  Gymnastics is getting up there too, doing cartwheels and round offs everywhere we go.

Winning the championship in double overtime!

Woot Woo!!  They played their hearts out for the win!  Such joy on their faces

Such a good team, each with a love for soccer and very skilled in the sport, many of their best friends are on the team, and a great assistant coach

Unfortunately, not a great head coach.  I won’t go into too much detail, hate talking bad about others, but one of the hardest things I’ve had to do with the girls was tell one that she was no longer on this team, she got moved to another.  Really?  He is splitting up my girls this late in the season?  They have played so well!  He admitted they are some of his strongest kickers, and read the ball better then others.  He also made other changes on the team that really hurt the team.

I almost changed leagues for them right away, but he talked me into staying, saying it was best for the girls (it was a no win situation, either they both leave their team and friends, or stay and one goes to the Select team).   He kept Sage on his Premier team and moved Sophie to the Select team, at least she had a great coach (the assistant coach).  Only a couple months left of the season so we finished up with them.

They practiced together, but had separate games each Saturday. 

Sage

Sophie’s cute new team, celebrating at Yogurt Stop after a good win.  They loved having Sophie on their team, they won every game after she came on when they were loosing before.  But Sophie was a little heartbroken at first.  First time I’ve seen her cry in a long time (I cried too, but not in front of her).  Her first words after I told her were, “will I still be friends with…”  Then, shortly after, she asked “Does Andrew (coach) even like me?”  With 3 boys growing up playing sports, I know how competitive and cut throat it can be.  Sports are a lot of fun and competition pushes you to do your best, and I love team sports and the friendships they make, but sports/coaches can be cruel, and they are sweet 9 year old girls, they don’t need this stress in their lives.  Sophie’s a winner and didn’t let it get her down for long, she really shined on the new team, although it wasn’t quite the skill level she’s used to playing, but she enjoyed being the star of the team :).  He was the first coach that didn’t absolutely adore our girls.  He has a military style of coaching and would often boot the girls (whoever was talking) ball several yards away if he didn’t have 100% of everyones attention at all times, so they had to run and get it.  The team was afraid of him and Sophie and Sage were starting to dislike their favorite sport.  

So this year, they tried out for a different league and made a great team (Sparta tried to talk us into staying).  They will be playing against their Sparta friends, but they are liking their new Avalanche team, have a great coach, and are quickly making new friends.  The best thing I heard from Sage was, “Hey, I like soccer again!”  The coach keeps it fun. 

Sophie (blue socks middle) and Sage (blue shorts, behind Sophie), with their new team and league

They were invited on the REAL field for Opening Ceremonies at one of their games, they flashed each players picture on the Jumbo Tron

Then they got to play a game on the field for the half time show!!  Awesome

We heart REAL games!

Sophie and Sage- we’re proud of our soccer girls!  Regardless of what team you’re on, win or lose, you play your hearts out and help your team a ton!  Keep kicking!