More Goals

The return match with the Purple Burgans started on a slippery slope for the Red Robbins.The Burgans had a plan, and as usual the Robbins had none, theirs was just to kick the ball around.I had initially planned to take a back seat watching and recording the match.Del’s sister Rin had electrd to stay home with mum, in anticipation of a friend who was coming for a play date.I was hopping I would watch and capture Del in action.But that was not be. The Burgans plan was nice and simple.Their coach had a player who could unleash a shot always hogging the front line and have others work for her to tap in the balls.And thats what they did netting in 3 with no reply and leaving the Red Robbins looking like a confused coacroaches.

So eventually when Del was asked to take a break, I decided to drop the spectator Dad attitude and get involved in pumping him.I reminded Del on his break that he had a duty to score, and he can only do that if he moves with the ball forward.He had somehow resorted to defending, and in the mist of trying to be a defender he conceaded a silly goal when he cleared a ball which bounced back into his net.

During the second phase of the match Learnmore Ndemera came to join us, immediately after Del managed to break his first goal, which he characteristically tapped from a distant.Lucky goal it was, but it simply was what he wanted to get him going.Somehow the new field at Waiuku George Street School had quiet a lot of turf, which seemed to have been tiring him a lot faster, or was it the Burgants strategy, which they finally found an answer to.

After that first goal, i kept up the encouragement to Del, shouting and screaming on top of my voice, reminding him to watch the ball and not mind about man marking. He always has this tendency of taking on the man, but at this level where some of the kids have no idea of where to place the ball, its just a no brainer as he get to miss easy balls that simply fall on his lap. The coach and parents from the Burgans were encouraging their kids to try to grab the ball off Del in their droves as they all appreciated that Del was the driver of the team.One of the parents acknowledged to me me that I had talent in my son.Proudly responded offcourse. As a result I also had to up my encouragement to Del.The presents of Learnmore also gave Del some umph and so he was so much prepared to show off to him too.He was so happy to see him

Thus 3 more goals, Del managed to tap in mostly from a distance, as that seemed to be a strategy to work.And they went 4 all.Courtesy of a Del clearance, Chidebhumu tapped in to make it 5-4.What a match, and how much change Del brings in when he steps up a notch.

As I have generally observed, the other kids in his team have improved such that at least they can now retain the ball without conceading easily.But they are still clueless as to what they can do with the ball, which is where normally Del comes in,picks up the ball and moves with the ball forward.Today he was a bit overwhelmed struggling to keep pace and could not manage to dribble as he normally does. He also got to be a defender, midfielder and stricker such that it just becomes too much for his little frame.He could have played better but he still did well by netting the goals which preety much somes up a match after its done.Despite all the sweat and pain Del put in, the coach and Laurah opted to give other kids player of the day and month awards.Of which for Del it was just another day of playing ball.Didn’t matter.