THE BOOK

For the past five years (20 seasons!), I’ve been the team manager for Hannah’s club soccer team. If you’ve had this job, you know about THE BOOK. It’s the Bible. 

It contains all of the birth certificates, waivers, club cards, schedules, rosters, badges, ref fees, permits, directions, and important documents for tournaments, leagues, and procedures for STATE CUP for God’s sake…

Those of us who have held this BOOK will complain about the endless responsibilities – the pressure to card someone 15 hours before a tournament, the endless time on the phone to secure practice fields, the meetings, the emails to the coach, the weekly communication to the team, trying to find a sub, an extra pair of socks, a place to hold someone’s jewelry during a game, etc. 

However, it’s really a gift. It’s actually the best job I’ve ever had. My BOOK and I had a front row seat to my daughter’s teenage life. I know every girl on our team, their personality, what they like to eat, who they date, how they play. I know the parents and their cheers. I know who gets upset when someone makes a mistake. I know who screams when someone does something great and who’s up for sneaking some wine in the lobby during tournament weekends.

This BOOK has traveled with me and the team to so many places -New York, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, Tampa, Richmond, North Carolina. We’ve been on the sidelines to see some of the most amazing comebacks, the biggest defeats, the most glorious goals, the best saves. I’ve had to protect THE BOOK from the wind, the rain, the snow, the heat.

My BOOK and I have had endless car rides filled with girls and moms singing at the top of our lungs, laughing, eating junk food, and sometimes, wallowing in our losses.

As these things go, our team unceremoniously broke up last week. With a team of high school seniors, we just didn’t have enough girls to field a team for our final season. Some have quit and some will move on to play in college. One more thing in a long line of many coming to an end this year. 

As I sit this snowy weekend thinking about cleaning out THE BOOK, I can’t. I always said I was going to burn it but I know now that’s never going to happen. 

Maybe I’ll keep it for just one more season..