Soccer Superstar!

One of Ryan's classmates, Emily, invited Ryan to join her soccer team!  Since the moment I told Ryan that I signed her up, she has been so excited.  She didn't even put up a fight about the uniform. I wasn't sure how she would feel about the shin guards and cleats.  She loves the shin guards and likes to remind us that they protect her and keep her from getting a boo boo! We had her first practice Friday evening and her first game the next day at noon! Ryan really surprised us at her first practice.  She wasn't shy at all (I think it really helped having a few girls from her class on her team), and she loved kicking the ball.  Chris and I were pretty impressed at how well she followed directions and handled the ball.  Three of the girls on her team cried the whole practice, one of them had a full blown tantrum and one girl refused to let her mom set her down.  I was pleasantly surprised that Ryan smiled and participated the entire time.  She enjoyed it more than I thought she would, and she was more athletic than I thought too.  Coach Angela ended practice a little early because it was pretty cold, but Ry wanted to stay and keep practicing.  So we did!  Here are the pictures from the first practice and first game.  Ryan's team is called the Superstars and she is #4.  

Cutest soccer player EVER!  Of course she has a pink ball :-)

She scored a goal on her first kick!

She was so excited to try on her uniform and that she got #4!
"That's how old I am gonna be on my birthday!"

The kid behind Ryan is the superstar of the Superstars!

She only stopped to pick one weed!

Game day!

Warming up!

Ryan was so excited to have us watch her game!

Emma really wanted to be on the team too!

Stretching

Ryan played the whole game and ran like crazy.
She loved to smile at us as she ran, sometimes oblivious to the ball and in the wrong direction!

Gran helped us keep Emma busy on the sidelines.

Emma did not like the fact that she couldn't run onto the field.

Mamaw had snacks and drinks that also helped!

Halftime snack and water break.

Ryan got assigned to be goalie for the last quarter.  I was so nervous!

Daddy giving Ryan advice on her goalie duties.
We were pretty sure she had no idea what a goalie was!

Sweet Emma, trying to get in on the huddle!

Ryan didn't get scored on and her team won 5-2!
The same boy on our team scored all 5 goals!

Her cheering section was so proud of her!