... a child player's injury (like a broken toe or foot or a sprained ankle or a concussion) is seen as a betrayal to your commitment to the team.
... your child breaks their toe and Drs. and normal people advise you to take a month off and rest it, but soccer people think this is ridiculous ("It's only a TOE!!!") and when weighing the options, you opt to have your child play any way (and it - as a result - takes 12 weeks for it to heal properly).
... you start buying into the belief that winning "state cup" or a tournament as 12 year olds has some deep, intrinsic value that will either a) help your child get a full-ride college scholarship or b) solve a global crisis.
... the only birthday party your child has attended since starting club soccer is that of fellow teammates because only THEY can keep up with your crazy game & practice schedule and schedule a party at an open time.
... parents and coaches on the team find it difficult to make eye contact with you or speak to you because you are daring to go on a family vacation and miss a game... and you actually feel guilty and think this is normal. (Seriously?)
... you have the mentality that a low-level child's soccer game is actually a worthy reason to miss: a wedding, a baby shower, a family vacation, a birth, visiting a sick family member, a birthday, or a family reunion.
... you don't let your 9 year old child join other activities because it conflicts with soccer. Where is their dedication?
... you are ANGRY that a 12 year old child missed a Penalty kick and think that your coach's repeatedly letting the same player miss these kicks is grounds for firing.
YOU KNOW YOU ARE STARTING TO BECOME less OF A SOCCER FAMILY WHEN...
... the above (and below) start to seem a little sick, unbalanced and wrong.
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Bitter much?
We will celebrated as a FAMILY the following Sunday at G&G's house.
