Before my children started playing soccer, I always thought of it as a safe, easy sport. I mean, all you do is run around and kick a ball, right? Maybe the first year, when they're five-years-old and don't even really know they're supposed to do that. But as the seasons go by, the sport gets more and more physical. That's when I have to remember that it's actually a contact sport.
When my son played, he came home with the usual bumps and bruises to his shins. Even shin guards can't guarantee that you'll come home unharmed. Still, I attributed the roughness to the fact that these were boys in the #1 team in the region. But I can't apply that excuse to my daughter's league. The bottom line is, soccer is rough.
I watch the girls run and push and fight for the ball. They get hit in the face, the stomach, the arms. They attack the ball just like the boys. Their shins are just as bruised. Then, last night, I watched my daughter get tripped and sail through the air. She landed hard, spraining her wrist and hurting her ribs. She's nursing her injuries today.
I was never meant to be the mother of children who play rough sports. I wish I'd realized how dangerous soccer really is. I wonder if it's too late to interest them in --- badminton?
No comments:
Post a Comment