(Dis) Organized Sports

Taking your 4 year old to what they call "organized sports" is definitely an exercise in patience for the parents. We have resisted all sports up until now because we recognize how easy it will be to overbook our kids and perhaps push them too much in a direction they don't want to go. I had been assured by other moms that soccer at the Y would not be too intense, the parents would be relaxed, and a good time would be had by the 4 year old. I have to say they were right, but they never mentioned that the program was not intended for a Type A parent...AT ALL.

The first week the coach never showed up...the second week the coach was there but spent 3/4 of the time chasing his son around trying to get him to blow his nose...the third week another parent actually stepped in and helped coach the kids but seemed interested in only passing the ball to his son (go figure)...and the fourth week I brought my cellphone all charged up, headset in place, and chatted up my friends while trying not to pay attention to the whole debacle.

You see, the real problem was not the disorganization of the program, but my intense desire to jump in and straighten the whole program out. I spent the entire hour (I know it doesn't seem like a long time, but it is when it is 3/4 year old soccer) plotting how I would have a plan, split the kids up, run shuttles, teach offense and defense, and next thng you know we wold be passing back and forth to one another with only a few breaks to pick buttercups off the field. It was all I could do not to "participate"

So now soccer is over and we are doing another sports program through the running association in our town. In reality, it is 300+ kids on 2 football fields doing relay races, running games, and occasionally taking laps around the track. I can't even begin to describe the chaos. But last night in the 4 year olds group there were about 15 kids and ONE coach. Are you kidding me? You try getting 15 kids to play follow the leader, do dizzy izzies, or freeze dance all by yourself. As I watched in pain as this shy, whispering, slight (you know a "running body") 20 something girl tried to coral the kids...I just couldn't resist anymore. I jumped in, I organized, I coordinated, and I facilitated. And I got stuck. Next thing you know I'm carrying the props back after the hour, I'm talking to the leader, and I am thinking that we'll never come back because I don't want to be in charge.

Or do I?