Soccer and Love

November 30, 2011.

Rosie and Noah

My seven-year-old grandson delights in playing sports. He lives for soccer in the fall, basketball in the early winter and baseball in the spring. He claims all sports as his “favorite.”

His coaches describe him as a natural athlete and I marvel at his “kinesthetic intelligence” as I watch how naturally his body serves him as he moves in the direction of the ball and has an instinct to know where to be in order to assist or score points.

He dreams sports and entertains me with magical plays he sees in his dreams. I listen and go back in my memory for sports dreams and find none.

Noah is also a romantic athlete. Ever since kindergarten, he has “crushed” on a girl and she resides in his heart for the entire school year. The first day of first grade, his heart opened to Sidney and she has continued to be his heart’s love for the second year.

They both play sports although they have never played on the same team. Our town is small so boys and girls play together on the same team until fourth grade.

Soccer and love collided during the final game of the season. The score was tied with two minutes remaining in the game. I was standing with Sidney’s mother as we both cheered Noah and Sidney on! Then it happened! Sidney claimed the ball and began methodically kicking it down the field. Noah was on defense. He crouched lower to the ground as he saw her heading in his direction. None of her teammates were around and it was clear to us that she was the designated one to score or not score. Noah was the only opponent who stood between her and the last win of the season.

He had defended his zone masterfully the entire game. Sidney scored two goals. Noah scored two goals for his team.

I held my breath, no longer hollering encouragement to Noah. Sidney’s Mom was quiet, too. We both appreciated that the stakes were high. I was glad I was a grownup and not a soccer player on the field.

Sidney continued to control the ball and she move fast. As she approached Noah, I watched as he looked directly into her eyes. With one motion, he threw up his hands, moved aside, and smiled as she scored the winning goal.

His coach looked at me and said with a smile, “Guess love is more important than winning to Noah.” I smiled and nodded.

As we walked off the field, Noah grabbed my hand and said, “ Grandmom, do you think I did the right thing?”

“I don’t know, Noah, do you think you did the right thing? That’s what’s most important.”

“I didn’t expect my teammates to be angry,” he said. “But they will get over it,” e said philosophically.

Then I asked, “How did you decide to let Sidney score, Noah?”

“That was the easy part, Grandmom, when I looked into her eyes as she was racing down the field, I knew her heart would be broken if she did not score the winning goal and I wanted her to be happy. And I would do it the same way, again.”

I nodded and hugged him and told him I was proud of him. Then I said, “You know what, Noah, I believe that whenever we make a choice from our heart, we win.”

“I learned that today, too, Grandmom.”