Our Favorite Soccer Player

We have had so much fun watching Joseph play soccer this year.  We found the perfect league and team for him, and he has thrived.  He is the tallest kid on the team:

and also one of the best players.

 He has improved leaps and bounds over last year and is gaining a lot of confidence.

 I love this picture.  Apparently the little girl was terrified of the ball?

 I love the intense facial expression Joseph gets when he is playing. 

 This was funny - one of the players on the opposing team is one of his friends from school (the girl in blue), so they did a little dance when she guarded him to keep him away from the ball which was being thrown in. I could tell that he was playing *extra* great on this day because Mari was watching!

 

 

Watching Joseph score goals is fun, but it isn't even my favorite thing. I just love to see the look on his face as he plays this season.  He smiles a lot, and is also completely focused on the game.  It is clear that he is always thinking about where he needs to be and where the play will go next.

 

 

 

 Joseph most enjoys playing forward and has become good at "challenging" the players on the other team and fighting for the ball.  He is also a good defender and effectively keeps the ball away from the goal.  He doesn't love playing goalie - the pace is too slow!