Soccer Moms

“Hurry up mom!” my son said as he ran out the back door.

I grabbed my red cooler, filled with juice boxes and crackers, my coffee mug, my coat and wobbled out the door. Loading the car was always harder when my husband worked on weekends, which happened too often. However, I knew that if I needed help, my fellow soccer moms had me covered.

“Why did you have to sign up for snacks today?” he whined as I got in the car, “I’ll get in trouble if I’m late!”

I drove a little too fast, pressured by my young copilot. His hair was messy, but his socks and shin guards were “perfectly” placed.

“Can we pray?” he asked as he put on his cleats nervously. “We have to win today!”

We entered the park as the sun lazily crept in through the early Spring clouds, revealing fields that were covered with thin blades of ice from the overnight dew. Like clockwork, cars arrived and chairs filled the sidelines. I searched for them, but all I saw was a sea of coats, gloves, hats and coffee tumblers.

I spotted the group lumped together on the bleachers. As I walked towards them, I realized that soccer moms come in many shapes and forms. They come from different cultures, perform different jobs and speak different languages. However, one thing unites them, and that’s love for their children.

Soccer moms want their children to win every game, but most importantly they want their children to be winners in life. The fire that ignites those women in the cold winter mornings or hot summer days is a passion to see their children become much more than good athletes. Their unspoken hope is for their little ones to grow up to be selfless men and women who can work as a team and respect others, regardless of the color of their skin or physical abilities. They strive to instill in them discipline, honesty, perseverance as they push through physical pain or emotional weakness, and to always remain humble and kind.

“When will this cold weather end?” the mom sitting next to me said as she wrapped herself in a thick blanket. “It’s already Spring and it’s still freezing!”

“I know!” chimed my friend behind me. “I’m wearing three layers of clothing and I can’t get warm!”

The ref blew his whistle, and the game began. Then, in unison blankets flew and scarves fell. As the game heated up, so did our bodies, warm with excitement for the Beautiful Game, love for our boys and passion to see them succeed beyond the soccer field.

Because one day, those little girls and boys will grow up and start families of their own. And they won’t have their moms to comfort them when they lose or wipe away their tears when they get hurt. One day they will walk through life alone.

And all those soccer moms eventually won’t have to race to games early Saturday mornings, or drive to practices on school nights. One day we won’t have to stand on the sidelines of the field anymore. However, regardless of how old they are or what profession they pick, we will always remain on the sidelines of their life, cheering them on with our prayers and our love. So, in a sense we will always be soccer moms.

To all those fellow moms who walked that journey with me throughout the years, now that our children are grown and moved on their own separate ways, I send my love, my respect and a virtual high five. Our boys didn’t win every game they played, but with great confidence I can declare:

“Good job soccer moms, we won!”