Good story in today's Philadelphia Inquirer by Noel Dolan of suburban Philadelphia about the end of the line for her career as a soccer mom. Seems her son was a goalkeeper for a local high school whose season ended with a loss in post-season play last week. No more sitting at games in all weather, washing uniforms, driving to practices, working the snack bar and all the other things soccer moms and dads do.
While being a soccer mom (or dad) for a high school team is different than for a club team with its travel and year-around play, the ideas about which Dolan writes are the same. But the piece is about more than supporting your kids' activities be they soccer, ballet, ice hockey or whatever. It's about kids growing up - her son is off to college next fall, she wrote - and parents aging. She quotes from "Landslide" by Stevie Nicks: "even children get older, and I’m getting older too." As one who has watched countless games my kids played in countless rec league, travel team and high school games and is now a soccer granddad, I can identify.
As much as I enjoyed the story, I take issue with Dolan's statement, "I must confess, I was not a very good soccer mom, at least not in the stereotypical imagining" because she did not have a team decal on her car or wear a team shirt. But she goes on to say, "I was there for my son, to support him in a sport that he enjoyed and in which he found meaning and friendship. That is what moms do, soccer moms, football moms, ballet moms, field hockey moms, the dads too, you name it. Show up and offer support, win or lose."
Sounds like she was the best soccer mom to me.
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