The Soccer Season, Anew

Time for another soccer season to begin. I was quickly reminded this past weekend of how quickly we forget the skills required to survive in the travel soccer quagmire. The rules and checklists are:

1. Plan most Friday nights for driving
2. Pack your cooler and groceries with beer (first and foremost), bagels, bananas, ham and cheese, snacks, gatorade
3. Always check voicemail, then check it again 10 minutes later for updates
4. Pray for rain, so you do not have to play the 7 am game.
5. Check into the hotel and pray more for something other than the Bates Motel
6. Check voicemail again
7. Pry your child out of bed
8. Show up for the game, on-time (bring a book, you are one hour early)
9. Cheer (positive only for the kids, no coaching from the sidelines)
10. Lunch at an acceptable deli sandwich place
11. Show up for the game, on-time (book or paper, again)
12. Cheer
13. Dinner at an acceptable restaurant (no fried foods)
14. Repeat once (miss church most times)
15. Drive home

Here we go again. Hope to see my wife in 7 or 8 weekends.