Willem's Spring Soccer Season

Willem's spring soccer season ended a couple weeks ago. He played for the EMFC U10 Valencia White team in the U10 academy (the academy created two equal U10 teams this year). The team played in the U11 Gold division of the local Kidsports league. His team finished 5-3-1 which was great considering most games were against the better 5th graders in the area. Willem is currently a young U9, so he played up two age groups and three grades. Willem did great; I really love watching him play! He is very passionate and really, really wants to win every game. He played in goal for first half of each game and then on the field, usually at forward, for the second half. Willem probably averaged a goal each game and is a great passer as well. I love that he is proud of his assists and he is especially proud when he gives an assist to a player that doesn't score very often. He takes what the coaches tell him to heart and really tries to please and listen to them, though sometimes his passion gets in the way :). Willem is strong and fast and makes amazing diving saves in the goal; he did a few Maradonas and lots of other moves out on the field...now if we can only get him a left foot, he'd be really deadly :)! Willem says he likes playing goalie better than on the field and he's pretty certain of that though for now we ask that he only play half in goal which is okay with him. We decided to let Willem continue to play with the Valencia team and play U11 this next season which is starting this week. He was really excited to have made the team after the tryouts (22 boys tried out and they took 15 for the U11 team)! Here are a bunch of pictures from throughout this spring.

 

 Willem has so many pairs of soccer shoes, all hand-me-downs from his soccer-shoe-crazy brother and sister!

Willem's team was usually coached by Porter but sometimes by Finn

Sometimes Willem would get bored playing goalie (though overall he loves it more than playing on the field)

I love all the facial expressions when Willem plays. Such determination!

A scrimmage game against the EMFC Valencia Blue team

Such a little powerhouse even against the older boys! 

Parker

Abe

James