Kicking it with Colton

Another soccer season for Colton. In the Spring, we played with Uncle Clay and Cousin Addie in Herriman. It was an undefeated season (Spring Soccer).  As Fall soccer signups started up, we just went ahead and signed Colton up at the local rec center and hoped he might know some kids he was placed with (they do try to put kids from the same school together).

The change from Spring to Fall was a big one. It had been the 1st/2nd grade league in the Spring, with smaller fields. Now, it was a 3rd/4th division and the fields were much bigger, much more running. Some teams had a lot of 4th graders (we had one, but the rest were 3rd, with a couple 2nd graders too).

The first game, Colton had several close shots, but none of them went into the goal. The other team did manage to score, so Colton had his first loss. He wasn't super happy (as you can see in the picture above). Luckily, he learned to manage his emotions a bit better, because that wasn't the last loss ... they lost every game, until the last one, which ended in a tie at least. Only two goals the entire season. One that final game (for the 1-1 tie), and one a bit earlier, which Colton managed to kick in. It was the first goal of the season and the boys were ecstatic. Here's a quick clip ...

We missed the team pictures this year (Colton went to the Father's and Sons at the sand dunes), so I snapped one on the final game.

Here's Colton and his crew. The Flame Throwers!

Spring Soccer - Colton and the Crew

 Uncle Clayton contacted us and asked if we were putting Colton in soccer for the Spring season. Colton definitely wanted to play, but all our little friends in the neighborhood he had played with previously had moved. So when Uncle Clay asked Colton to join his team, we said ok. It was a little bit further to drive ... but parking was actually a lot better than over at the West Jordan fields.

They had a great season. An undefeated season! Colton managed to score a goal in every game I believe. It was fun to play with cousin Addie, as see family at the games. Colton made a good friend with Derek, another great player on the team.

It's always funny posing for the team pictures. As they were patiently waiting Colton moaned "this takes SO long, like literally 15 minutes!"

Team Picture. Spring 2014. 

I didn't make it to every game (scheduling conflicts with brother's basketball) but I got video on the times I went and made a quick highlight reel to spotlight the season.  Great to take hours of footage and condense it into a couple minutes!

My Soccer Star

For the past several seasons, Colton has played soccer with his two buddies Randon and Bradley. But Bradley has now moved, and Randon was trying his hand at flag football. So we were on our own. We did end up having a little neighbor gal on the same team, and there were a few kids from Terra Linda as well (although Colton didn't know them before soccer season started). 

Ambree (our neighbor) was in California on picture day.

Silly Colton ... has to make a face!

As you might be aware ... Colton broke his wrist mid-season, so he missed a few games. The doctor did give the ok for him to play with the cast on, so he did take part in the final game.  I got three of the games on video and made a little muvee that definitely shows Colton in action! He's my little soccer star. I love to watch him play. If you have a couple of minutes, check out his highlights!

Fall Sports

It's Fall. Fall Ball is in full swing. Landon is simply supporting his school team as a spectator (he went and watched a football game on a night it was so cold and rainy!) but the three middle boys are playing basketball, while Colton is playing soccer (they don't have basketball for his age).  It's been a bit of a juggling act trying to coordinate all the schedules, but really only Cooper and Colton have games on Saturdays (Keaton will, but they haven't started up yet). Keaton's team is playing in a Wednesday night league, and Callahan plays Thursday nights. Between practices and open gym, we're running around most nights, but making it all work.  I have all the schedules stuck to the filing cabinet in the den and made sure they are all entered into my iphone calendar. 

I've gone back to updating the Hoop Dreams blog ... there you can find all the info on the boy's basketball, with links to their video highlights.  I have made muvees of several of the games so far. It's a great way to catch all the fun stuff without the time and travel investment.

I'll make a video for Colton's soccer at the end of his season.

Go Blackham Boys!

My Soccer Stud

 My little Colton is a soccer stud! He really went after the ball this season and scored goals most games, and also saved many when playing on defense. He loved to play and would really look forward to his games. One week he had both a Wednesday and a Saturday game, and he said "I wish I had a game Thursday and Friday too! This was the same team he played with in the Fall (it's a Fall/Spring league). I think they only lost one game.  I gathered all my video clips and made a little muvee of the highlights. 

Colton and Crew 

(missing Randon who was gone for the last couple games)

Fall Soccer

Last Spring, Colton played on TWO teams, one with Gene Fullmer (with his buddies Randon and Bradley), and then on a West Jordan Youth Soccer team (filling out Cooper's season when he refused to play). For Fall, we went with West Jordan again (smaller fields, fields closer to home, set game times), with Colton's same team, but Bradley and Randon joined it as well.

 I loved the colors of their uniforms! 

They were the SILVER SNAKES.

For a little extra, you could get iron on names for the back of the shirts ... this picture was on of the first games before I got Colton's name on his ... It was a pretty good season. I'm not sure of the win/loss ratio. Not quite as many goals and runaway wins as Spring. Colton seemed to hang back a bit more, playing more defensively. But he always had fun and really looked forward to his games. The last couple games, the weather had turned a bit chilly, so I was ready for soccer season to suspend until Spring.

Colton and the Red Rockets

Colton LOVES soccer. He's only six years old, but he's now played on six different teams! He played on two this spring ... I signed him up for the rec league at Gene Fullmer, and then he ended up taking Cooper's spot in the WJ League (see Colton and the Green Gators). Like two previous seasons, we had our neighbors Bradley and Randon on the team, and I ended up coaching.

The games were played on Friday evenings, which worked out fine, as Callahan and Keaton had basketball practice (so Gray and I couldn't go out anyway, we tried shifting date nights to Thursdays). It was actually nice, as kindergarten games were the only ones going, so there was lots of parking and uncongested fields. Also, Saturdays are always so busy anyway, I'm sure we would have had conflicts if they had been held then. We had an undefeated season ...one tie game, and a couple close ones ... and several blow outs.

We had practices at the little neighborhood park on Tuesdays. Randon's dad Corbin helped out a lot and even made a couple little goals for us to use. We ended up having a couple pickup games too (added in Blackham brothers, neighborhood friends, other team siblings, etc.)

 Gavin, Bradley, Randon, Ivan, Colton

Brandon, Giana, Mia, Peter, Joey 

(Not pictured: Bryce, Luigi)

As I was usually busy coaching during the games, I didn't get a lot of video. But I did get one game (having Corbin take over the coaching, which he did a couple times). Luckily it was one of our high scoring games, to I had quite a bit of footage to work with. Cute kindergarten kicking! Check it out...

We've signed signed up for the upcoming Fall/Spring League with West Jordan Youth Soccer. The little trio of Colton, Randon and Bradley will join several of the kids from Colton's Green Gators team, the best of both! While both WJ and Gene Fullmer have their pros and cons, the WJ league seemed a better fit for this next year (but I do plan on switching back to GF after that ... if the kids haven't lost interest in soccer by then). So I won't be coaching Colton come fall, but after three seasons, I think I'm ready for the sidelines again.

Colton and the Green Gators

Once upon a time, Cooper was a little soccer player. He LOVED it. He played a few seasons, then last spring, he fell and broke his arm during a game. I knew that was the end of that season, I didn't realize that was the END of soccer for Cooper. I went ahead and signed him up with his friends again (for the upcoming Fall2011/Spring2012) ... he did NOT want to play Fall, and I hoped that as spring season rolled around he might be ready to give it a try. He was not. 

I hated just throwing away the money (this would be the THIRD season in a row wasted) when I realized ... I still had a little boy who LOVES soccer ... Colton. My original plan was just to have Colton take Cooper's place on the U8 team, but the league said he was too young (although he actually wasn't the smallest). They agreed to put him on a U6 team though (with several younger siblings from Cooper's team). I almost didn't do it (as he was already signed up with soccer with Gene Fullmer on Friday nights), but as it actually fit in with no scheduling conflicts (Saturday mornings were totally open this spring) we did it and it was a fun little season. Colton did great.

I made a couple videos ... the first is of the first game's highlights, the second, is the remaining six games (pretty much just the goals, although I SHOULD have also featured Colton's FALLS, as he had many spectacular ones ... all much worse than the small one that broke Cooper's arm.) And with his tongue sticking out SO much of the time, we're lucky he didn't bite it off! 

Colton DID dominate goals ... but really, he is NOT a ball hog. He never takes the ball away from his own teammates. He knows to allow space (therefore he is often ready for a fast break when the ball gets kicked free). We're actually going to stay on this team for next season, bringing on a couple of our friends from the Gene Fullmer team (I'll post about the RED ROCKETS when that season is done).

Love little kicking kindergartners! 

Soccer Success

While Cooper's soccer season was stressful, we did have a lot of FUN soccer memories with little Colton. We signed him up with Gene Fullmer Rec, putting him on the team with buddies Bradley and Randon. I didn't originally sign up to be coach again, but after being asked if I'd be willing, I went ahead and said ok. We ended up having two little girls that been on the Spring team as well, plus a couple new boys that really knew how to handle the ball. We were the Blue Sharks and we had a very successful season, we only lost one game.

Colton was enjoying soccer so much, that when Uncle Clay said he was putting together a kindergarten team at Marv Jensen Rec, we decided we'd put Colton on that team too. Gene Fullmer had started really early in the season, and with mid-week games, it only lasted four weeks, ending in September. There was about one week of overlap, one Saturday Colton had TWO soccer games, then the Blue Sharks ended and the Green Monkeys had their season.

The Green Monkeys won their first few games, I even stepped in to coach one games as Clay and Courtney were in St. George. Then we hit some harder teams (and colder days and nights, brrr). So, soccer season is now officially done ... it was fun. Here's a couple videos ...

A Stressful Soccer Season

Soccer seasons are Spring and Fall... at the start of the season last Spring, Cooper broke his arm. The signups for the next round (Fall2011/Spring2012) were in April, and I went ahead and signed up my little broken-armed boy with his team (and his best bud Ridley) and also got his good friend Marc to join the team as well. His arm would be healed by Fall.

... I didn't anticipate Cooper's anxiety ...

He was very worried about breaking his arm again ... combine that anxiety with his weather phobia, and soccer became a very stressful situation. Cooper did NOT want to play. I could have just bagged it, but ... I didn't really care about wasting the money, and I think the team would have been fine without him (we had a couple additions to the team, so there were enough kids which is sometimes a problem in the spring half of the season) ... I just did not want to let the fear win. If I left it up to Cooper, he would spend almost all his time in the bedroom under his covers, and I didn't want that ... so I pushed him a little.

Every game was a struggle. He would cry and cry. We did miss a few of the games, some we just played for a bit and then went home. There was some success ... he totally got into one of the games; he was excited to play, played well, even got a couple of goals! I hoped we had turned a corner. My smiling soccer Cooper was back ... but he was gone again by the next game.

Everyone was very supportive, really trying to cheer Cooper on, making him feel needed and wanted. At the first game, Cooper took a fall and everyone on our sideline gasped and held their breath until he got up again, shaken but unhurt. Cooper seemed content to just stay back and play defense most of the time, and as I'd pushed him just to get to the game, I let him do what he felt most comfortable with on the field. He did get a couple of fast breaks, running up the field and got some great goals.

We were both ready for the Fall soccer season to be over ... Cooper still says he doesn't want to play in the Spring (which he's already signed up for, from the signups last April). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that when the time comes he'll want to play. I won't be signing him up again unless HE ASKS for it ... I hope he does. I love watching him play. Here's a little video from a couple of the games from fall season...

Saturday Sports ... Endings and Beginnings

It's been a while since I did a "Saturday Sports" post, which isn't to say we haven't been playing sports every Saturday, because we have (three or four games each week)! Game summaries and videos are on the HoopDreams blog. Here's a little catch-up and small peek forward ...

Summer basketball finished up ... both boys were playing UP an age division this season, which made for some tougher games. Callahan's team only won twice, but they had some great games and it was nice to see them be challenged. Keaton's team only lost twice (but those were blowouts). Keaton ended up playing on a second team, in his actual age group too (4th grade), so he often had two games (Callahan was jealous!). Both boys are signed up to play again in the fall of course, but we'll have a couple weeks off.

Fall soccer has started up. I had signed up both Cooper and Colton, in two different leagues (hoping to stagger the games somewhat, which was successful). Unfortunately, Cooper has decided he no longer likes soccer, so I'm not sure if he'll be finishing up his season. His anxiety is in overdrive (both about the weather, and breaking his arm again) and he just looks miserable, even though he scored a goal in the game (and that was playing only 10 minutes)! Colton loves soccer ... I'm coaching him again, and we have two of his school buddies on the team too. They've played two games so far, and won easily both times. As this season ends (it's a short one, only four weeks) Colton is also going to play on a team with his cousin Addie, with Uncle Clay as coach (maybe then I'll be able to get some video).

Colton's Coach

Through the years, as we've had the boys in various sports, I've thought about trying my hand at coaching. For the younger kids, you really don't need to know that much about the sport, but soccer actually is something I have some experience in. I played it all through my elementary and middle school years, and even spent a summer in an adult league a couple years ago. I almost volunteered during Keaton's last soccer season, but the main thing standing in the way is scheduling conflicts. With FOUR boys in sports this Spring, I was sure there would be some scheduling conflicts. And I'd purposely signed up Colton and Cooper with friends, so that I could just send them if Callahan and Keaton's basketball games overlapped with scheduled soccer. Our mornings were crazy, with Callahan, Keaton and Cooper all having overlapping games somewhere between 9:00-12:00, but Colton's games were during the week or later in the afternoon on Saturday. So after the first couple games, when the coach asked for someone to take over the team, I thought this would be a good time to try it out.

It was a good experience. Often from the sidelines I know I've thought "Oh, the coach isn't giving the kids equal playing time" or "he should pull out our best kids and give the other team a chance to score" ... so now I got a chance to do just that. Trying to rotate the kids in and out? That was hard to keep track of, everything was hard to keep track of there in the middle of it all ("oh, you just scored a goal, good job!") Sometimes I do get frustrated with lack of communication (practice/games being canceled and not getting a call) and felt like I did well there ... maybe I'll offer to be TeamMom, get out the treat schedule and be in charge of reminder calls and such. While I've been slow to start texting, I can see that texts are a wonderful way for a coach to contact the team.

So, the final game was the final day of May, and I have to admit being a little glad it's done *Ü* It was fun, but I think I'm ready to return to the sidelines ... with camera in hand of course! Here's one more little soccer video, Callahan was behind the camera as I was on the field, only fair as I've filmed a TON of his games!

Saturday Sports

Go Colton!

Love the tongue hanging out *Ü*

Here's the weekly update for our sports filled Saturdays ...

• First up was Callahan, with a 9:00 game. He LOVES the early games ... he hates waiting. In the first moments of the game, the other team was actually ahead! We had made one basket, then the other team made a three. That was the first time the entire season the opposing team has lead. It didn't last long though, it was an easy win for the team. Highlights here.
• Keaton's game was at 12:00. For the first time, I used my new video camera I got for Mother's Day (I didn't use it for Callahan's game, as I have been using a program to make his muvees which can't handle the advanced files the new HD camcorders produce ... I have been using an alternate version for Keaton's games, trying to get used to the new program, in anticipation of needing to make the switch). Anyway, they won ... highlights here.
• Colton had his soccer game at 2:00 and another on Monday at 5:30 (it was a little chilly!). Colton is a really good little soccer player. He does need to learn to control the ball a bit (sometimes it gets away from him when he's on a fast break), but he's got the dribbling and shooting down and always knows which way to go. I really love watching him play, which ironically as coach ... I actually don't see as much, being right in the middle of the action and trying to keep track of all the kids. I went back and took the video I had taken of the first couple games (before I took over coaching) and made a little muvee ... so Colton's Soccer is now on YouTube as well. *Ü*

Sports Saturday ... Soccer Snap

Cooper's Cast

It wasn't the day I planned ... I love my sports Saturdays ... they are a bit crazy, but I love them! Today was no exception to the craziness. Grayson was busy with Pinewood derby stuff, a workshop in the morning hours, and weighing in the cars in the afternoon. So I was in charge of getting the kids to their various sporting events. It was a bit complicated, but I worked it out. Callahan had a basketball game at 9:00, Keaton's was at a different location at 10:00, and Cooper's soccer game was at 10:30. I got Cooper ready to go before I left in the morning and arranged for a teammate to pick him up for his game. I'd given Keaton the choice to come with me and watch Callahan's game, or to go watch the game before his own ... he chose the latter. So I dropped him off an hour early and headed to Callahan's game. Callahan's team won easily ... I'm thinking we should have played up, as the boys are simply too good for this league. Catch his game highlights (Callahan'sGame). We rushed from there to Keaton's game, and arrived just in time for tip off. Keaton's team won as well. See his game highlights (Keaton'sGame). Then it was on to the soccer field, hoping to catch the last half of Cooper's soccer game. We got there ... and about two minutes later, Cooper fell and screamed ... his arm was broken.

It didn't look like that bad of a fall. He wasn't tripped or pushed. I think he just stumbled over his own feet, or perhaps a depression in the ground. Yes ... I had my video camera going, so I watched the fall over again and ... still not sure how it happened. The arm was obviously broken, no question at all. His arm was bent. Everyone was very helpful, laying him down, calling 911, immobilizing the arm with a splint. I tried calling Grayson, but there isn't a phone in the garage and no one was picking up in the house. Callahan ran all the way home ( a half mile) to get him. We did consider trying to drive Cooper to the emergency room ourselves, but as the ambulance was already there, and he was in so much pain, we figured we'd go ahead and let the professionals move him and get him on some pain management right away. We went to the ER at the Riverton Primary Children's. We'd been through a bad break like this once before (with Landon), so I pretty much knew what to expect... the sedation, and setting the arm while under the x-ray ... pretty amazing stuff. There's always a bit of a concern that surgery or pins might be needed, but luckily, they were able to get the bones aligned with no complications.

The X-ray

Poor Cooper! He LOVES soccer, and this was only the second game of the season! And it's the same arm (the right one, and yes he's right handed), same two bones, that he broke just six months ago (here's THAT blog post). His poor arm hurt so much, and then with an IV in his left hand, that hurt too! After several hours at the hospital, we were able to go home. Cooper's in a cast (again) and on his way to healing. At least he is off track right now ... no school for the next three weeks. And it's a long soccer season, I wonder if he might even be able to get in another game ...

I remember last time Cooper broke his arm, I made a "fall" seasonal pun. This time, I guess it's "Spring BREAK" ... and to relive happier soccer moments, here's links to the videos I've made of his soccer seasons so far ...

Cooper: Spring Soccer 2011

Cooper: Fall Soccer 2010

Cooper: Kindergarten Soccer Spring 2009

Saturday Sports

GOAL!

Spring sports mean busy Saturdays. Soccer started for Cooper today. He's playing with the same team he did in fall. It was a little cooler than the past couple days (which were SO nice) but the kids kept warm running about. Cooper had a good game, he scored three goals, leading their team to victory. He struggles a little with taking a turn sitting out, he'd be happy playing the entire game. I took the camera to capture some pictures and video and of course ... made a muvee!

After Cooper's game, both Callahan and Keaton had basketball games at 12:00. Mom took Callahan to his (they won, the video is here). Keaton's team won also, and Keaton had a great game. Gray even took some video (so you can see his game here). All the basketball business is on the Hoop Dreams blog, feel free to follow the games there if you like, although I'll probably be putting basic updates here as well.

Spring sports ... I love it! I'm not sure how many more of Cooper's soccer games I'll get video of (or even get to see, as his games conflict with the basketball games. I'm probably going to be sending Cooper with his buddy Ridley most of the time, THANKS Shaw family!). I did just get Colton's schedule and YEA, this games are in the afternoon, NOT the morning. They start next Saturday!

Making Movies

In 2004, I found some software that helped me take our home videos and photographs and make them into short little movies set to music. We had a link from the computer to the television, so the kids could watch the movies over and over, and they did. Ultimately, there were equipment issues, (the computer crashed) and while the movies weren't lost, they did disappear for a bit, as did my movie making software.

Fast forward five years ... I repurchased my Muvee software (several different new versions available, from basic (less expensive) to advanced (more expensive) ... I bought the mid-priced one) and I started taking more video and making movies again. I've posted several here and I'm sure now that I'm really back in business I'll be posting even more. Callahan LOVES my Muvees of his basketball games ... it is a great way to capture them (I edit out all the misses and just show all the great shots).

I started uploading them to YouTube, as a bit of a backup, and so that they could be easily accessed and shared. As I pulled out the old muvees from years back, the boys gathered around the computer and watched them all, laughing and pointing and it was wonderful to see.

Muvee had a little contest on their site, calling for sports videos. I submitted the one I made of Colton's Summer Soccer and won first prize, which was a $20 Itunes GC and the latest Muvee software. I do get stuck in my ways though, I can see me still using the old software out of habit. As I looked over the muvees from four years ago, I can see the changes in the software that give me more options (captions, focusing on parts of the photos) ... it's just hard for me to try NEW things, even if they are better *Ü* Grayson did get me a new computer last year ... and I've already filled it up. I need more space for all my music, pictures and video!

Being in a Muvee Making Mood, I went ahead and took the video and pictures from Cooper's Fall soccer season. I had put off making the movie, thinking I'd get a little more footage, then I'd forget to charge my camera, then Cooper broke his arm and missed the last game ... so here is the belated Kicking it with Cooper Muvee production (below) ... and a list of ALL the Muvees to date (and there's a link to the page in the column to the right as well). I'll try to keep it updated as I keep making muvees! *Ü*

Summer Soccer (PreK)

For the past several seasons, Colton has attended many soccer games. He is such a good boy, sitting on the sidelines cheering his brothers on. This summer, it was finally his turn. Uncle Clay was coaching a team with Cousin Addie and asked if Colton would like to join them. Pre-K at Marv Jensen, early in the summer mornings, the Green Monkeys came to conquer. Colton missed the first game, as he was in Seattle, but the second game ... Colton was ready to play! He scored several goals. The next couple games were a little tougher, but then the Blackham Cousins came back in full force for the final game (although the other team managed to get several goals too ... the way kid soccer should be. Fun for all!) I took all the photos and videos from the season and condensed them into a three minute Muvee ... take a look *Ü*

Athletic Supporters

Way back when the older boys started sports (about kindergarten age) the entire family would bring chairs and treats and come to watch the games. As the boys got older, and more of them involved in sporting events, and life got busy ... Well, it just didn't happen as much. Most of the time, it's just Mom going to watch the games while the other boys stay home. I was happily surprised when the brothers agreed to come watch Colton in his season of summer soccer. The brothers have been cheering him on from the sidelines ... and I'm not sure why, but Callahan got dog piled after the game (see below!)

The two little boys don't like going to basketball games, as the loud buzzers tend to scare them (what would they do at an actual Jazz game?) ... but it had been a while since I'd tried taking them, so on Saturday (I also didn't have Daddy or Landon home to tend) we all went (even Jacob from next door) ... all cheering Callahan on (his team won easily).

The boys were pretty well behaved, but I think I actually PREFER leaving them all home *Ü* but it was nice to have the brothers being athletic supporters for one week anyway!

Spring Soccer

Cooper played soccer last spring and last fall, so this was his third soccer team, the "Green Dragons". He ended up playing with several members of his kindergarten class (Matthew, Mark, Hailey, Grace). Unlike past soccer seasons at Gene Fullmer where a midweek game was played, the games were only on Saturdays, which made for a longer season (that, and a couple rain outs that had to be rescheduled). I think Cooper was done with soccer, but I hope he'll be up for it again, because I already signed him up for Fall with a different league. Colton will actually be playing soccer this summer, so there will be more soccer to come! Here's a little video of the season ...

Kicking It with the Kindergarten Crew

There are two main recreational soccer leagues here in West Jordan. One signs the kids up in the spring, for the following fall/spring season (I can never plan that far in advance), the other has registration shortly before each season starts. Several of the kids in the neighborhood had signed up with the former league, and had already played fall together when spring rolled around. A couple of the kids had dropped off the team however, and as a spot opened up, I was able to add Cooper to the team. All the kids were already in kindergarten (Coop was still in preschool) but they were friends from the neighborhood and church. Cooper LOVED playing soccer and it really helped with his independence and socialization skills too.