4TH PLACE IN ALL OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Before we left for Africa, the team I was coaching for Tyler won the championship for our AYSO division 168. This meant that instead of their season ending, it kept going and they were going to the Section 11 tournament. So, while I was in Africa, they were coached by the division boys play rep, Dan Blunt. He's a great coach and I was so thankful for his help.

When we came home on time, it was supposed to be perfect. Just 7 days away, and while I couldn't miss any more Sundays, it did mean that I could go to the Saturday games because I was commitment free. However, that perfect timing was met by rain and subsequently canceled. Ugh. It then got rained out a second weekend and finally was rescheduled for this last weekend.

Well, that was a total bummer for me because I had previous commitments to be out of town on Saturday teaching a YS One Day seminar in Utah. So, while I loved teaching, I hated missing Tyler's game and a team that I'd worked so hard to support, coach, and encourage.

So, on Saturday Shannon was texting me moment-by-moment updates on games. They lost their first one but won their second. That resulted in an 8am game on Sunday that I also missed while teaching at church, and I again got the play by play texted to me and they tied. The consequence of that meant that they were in the finals at 12:30, fighting for 3rd or 4th place.

As soon as church was over and I was done teaching in HS on Sunday, I bolted to Tyler's final game in San Marcos. I arrived about 10 minutes into their final game. I was so glad I made it for the little I did and for the awards ceremony. Yahooo. Even though they lost their final game, they still walked away winners with medals and all. Of the 400ish teams in AYSO in southern california in Tyler's age bracket, they took 4th at the end of their season. Pretty respectable.

In my absence, TJ was our photographer. Here's some of his handy work. Not bad son. Not bad.