Soccer Dads - it is that time of year again when it is freezing wind in the NE US and games are getting rained out, how are you surviving?

My teenage boys are 13 & 14. I am at the point in the year in Philadelphia, PA, USA where high school soccer has ended officially, but not really. There are still tournaments that the teams can participate in, that have nothing to do with the school. They can organize themselves by just having a team captain, or often the legacy coach peer pressures the kids into participating anyway, in preparation for next season.

While the high school season may be over, the typical city or township, subdivision soccer leagues are not over until at least Thanksgiving around here. This is the worst time of the year for parents who are the drivers for these kids. I have 2 boys that need to be in multiple places this weekend, for example. As a divorced Dad, this is my plight...Tonight, there will be a game @ 7pm, but they have to be there by 6:30 to warm up. We are expecting crazy rain tonight, which is now being predicted to start at around 9pm. For the past many days, they were expecting it to start sooner, so it looks like the game is on. Yes, the professionals and high schools will play soccer in the rain. The club leagues like to protect their fields from all of the turfing of the field when it is sloppy outside, and will often close the field to all age group leagues entirely for the day, when it is going to rain steadily. For now, it is "game on"!

Tomorrow, my older son has an unofficial high school team based tournament, starting at 9am, so it is the same deal, be there @ 8:30. (So much for me sleeping in) for a little while on a non-work day. Never mind the fact that the Philadelphia Eagles are playing in London tomorrow morning @ 9am EDT. My kids love American NFL football too, so this creates yet another conflict. The coach also gave us about 2 days notice on this tournament as well. All of this adds up to a bunch of frustration and feeling of obligation to attend.

Photo credit: Jostens.com

Then Sunday, somehow, I have to get one of them to one field by 1pm, and the other to a totally different field in a city at least more than a half hour away by 1:30pm. Somehow, I have to drop one off, then immediately go to the other field to drop off the other, then I will have to drive back to the first field, let that game finish out, hop in the car with one son, and then drive back to the other field for my other son. I should essentially catch the end of my 1st son's game and maybe the end of the 2nd one's game, or keep him waiting for about 10 to 15 minutes for me. It is also supposed to be raining Sunday with this tropical storm blowing up the Northeastern US right now. Since it is also supposed to rain all day Saturday, they may just close the fields on Sunday proactively, and all of this planning and insanity is for nothing.

This isn't the first weekend for me like this. This happens nearly every few weeks, and every week there are games, but they normally don't conflict so badly and tightly. How many others of you are in this plight, or have lived to survive and talk about it? I have been doing this with soccer, baseball, football, track, band practice, stage crew and other miscellaneous activities through the years. Now it is basically down to just soccer for both of them, and it is still INSANITY sometimes. I am feeling crazy enough after doing all of this since they were age 4, starting with Tee-Ball to buy one of these tents or shelters and look like a fool. Although, these look like the best invention ever made for these windy, rainy, cold days of 4-6 more weeks of kid's soccer. I kinda wish I had bought one 10 years ago. I feel like an idiot buying one now and potentially only needing it for a few stray games for the next few years. And no, I am not a parent who will just sit in the car if it is raining. I am a good Dad. I tough it out with an umbrella and plastic poncho.

Photo credit:Dick's Sporting Goods

Anyone else care to rant about this? I am about to embark on my first leg of this weekend journey in about 5 hours. Feel free to ask questions, or comment. I write back. I've been less active lately due to dealing some family member medical issues but I am getting back into the swing of things again. Thanks for looking or listening, if you've read this whole rant.