A coaching conundrum

So you know, this blog isn't going to be all about the train wreck that will arrive at my doorstep Friday. But I'm sure that it will provide some interesting posts, no doubt.

I'm tired. I had to be at the office a little earlier than usual, and I'm not much of a morning person. And I have a team dinner tonight, so it's going to make for a long day. And I'm going to need a sitter.

Luckily my sitter is the man I've recently decided to allow to be a part of our lives. I mean, I've known him 15 years already. But that's sort of another story. Or a different part of the story.

What I have to decide today is regarding soccer. And my son. It's always about my son.

He's been playing soccer since he was four years old. And from the get-go, he had natural ability ... he dominated the recreational pitch ... and I got him into a skills program. And that was a really good program for a while ... but soccer in this city is competitive and political and ... financial.

Though he still plays recreational soccer, he also now plays for a select team. He knows it's a bigger deal, and unfortunately, I think his nerves get the best of him, and he just doesn't perform as well for this particular coach he's currently under. Switching to this select team kind of mixed things up for him. I've witnessed him lose confidence. I wonder how much of this has to do with the fact that he hasn't seen his father since August of last year, about the same time he started with this particular select team.

Coach says be patient. It's been nine months. And I'm not good at patient.

So I'm considering switching coaches, but staying with the same organization ... thinking a subtle change will be less of a jolt than a total change.

At any rate, we'll see what happens there. I'm ready to leave this current coach but am waiting for the sub coach to get back to me. And while I'm waiting, the current coach invites us to additional practice. He wants my son at practice more.

That makes sense to me, but it's the getting off work in time and commuting him twice a week -- actually three times a week -- to practice ... with games on Saturdays and Sundays. That's five days of soccer per week.

And my job is kind of important ... and I'm kind of still "new" at work ... just so much change lately is making me struggle.  Geez, I wonder where my kid gets it from? Lord help us.