Ok, we’re actually champions of Division 4 Co-Ed Outdoor North Texas League.  I mean, it very well could be the world.  A small world, grant it.

You could say it’s never a real game without some drama.  No really, it doesn’t count unless there’s drama.  There was an incident involving crutches.  Mostly waving them around in idle threat.  There was some name calling, parents of grown men yelling at the refs, grown men crying.  Ok, not really.  There was no grown man crying.

It’s an emotional thing – losing, winning.  You can get caught up in both.  I’m not sure why I’m surprised.  I go insane when one of my favorite teams lose.  After the US lost in World Cup last year, I couldn’t bear to watch soccer for a couple of weeks.  It hurt too much.  I was so let down.  I’m not sure how I’m going to handle my child playing sports.  Yes. I am THAT parent.

Dear future coaches to Lola –

I am sorry in advance.  I will most likely be the loudest parent in the surrounding area.  I will be so loud that probably, I will distract Lola from doing what you asked her to do.  I know, it’s obnoxious.  I don’t do it on purpose, I’m overcome with nerves, emotion and excitement, which sadly, makes your job harder.  I promise to at least know what I’m talking about when I yell from the side lines.  And if I don’t, I will consult Wikipedia before I go to the next game.

Yours truly,

Emotional sport fan multiplied times 10 because it’s my own child.

Back to our game.  Winning or Losing is even more emotional if you think you have the win in the bag.  That team we played, they thought they had the game.  Up 3-1 after the first half.  What’s that saying about counting your chickens before they hatch?  We scored 3 goals in the last five minutes.  It was glorious.  Winning.

I’m not sure if the other team was more shocked by the 3 goals or the dog pile on our lead scorer before the game even ended.  Like I said, winning is an emotional thing.  You sometimes can’t help how you react.  And I guess I’m not sure if you should restrain yourself from truly celebrating.  Even if it means holding up the game.

As a parent, I want to teach my child not to be a sore loser or worse an obnoxious winner, but I also don’t want to minimize her victories.  I AM the person that fully supports a grown man head butting another player during a soccer match because of some trash talk.  It’s such a fine line.

I mean what’s the point of working hard and winning only to pretend like it was no big deal?  I know you’re thinking it’s called humility.  And it can be.   Humility doesn’t equal being numb.  It IS a big deal to try hard, to give it all you’ve got, to do well.  Why not celebrate it?

So, for now, it feels exactly like the title….champions of the world.  I haven’t lost touch with reality.  I don’t suddenly think I’m the best soccer player in the world, but I won’t deny our victory.  It was a great one.