I’ve never envisioned myself as a soccer mom, but here I am, twice a week watching my kid trip over a soccer ball and kicking it like a punter into another child’s face. But we’re both newbies and have learned a few things.

One of the things I’ve learned is to NOT make fun of other people who bring a canopy to games. Families set up their camping chairs and ice chests under their canopies as if it were their living room. I thought it was a bit excessive. I came equipped with my camping chair, sunscreen, and a baseball cap and thought I was set. I was actually proud of my simplicity. That sense of pride lasted for about 5 minutes.

As I watched my child play his game during a deadly heatwave, and by that I mean spring in Texas, I began to realize these parents are professionals and I am but an amateur. Sweat streamed down my back and onto my black, non-breathable, non-mesh camping chair, and I prayed that no one would suffer a heatstroke…and that perhaps the sun would melt some fat cells away.

And so I learned a few things for next season: buy a canopy and better camping chairs…and to have more humility.

I think our little guy learned a few things, too. He learned not to steal the ball away from his own teammates, that he doesn’t have to kick as though he were kicking a field goal from the 20 yard line, and the value of working as a team.

We couldn’t have been blessed with a better coach. She was exactly what our son needed. I believe being in foster care for so long has made him feel like he has to prove his worth by being better than others. To stand out. To outshine. His coach was not only teaching him how to be a better soccer player; She was also teaching the importance of fellowship and unity. Once a player kicked a goal, it became their responsibility throughout the rest of the game to pass it along to a teammate who had not had their moment of glory yet.

While some may see this as coddling, it provided our son the lesson that he does not have to always be the winner. He learned to work in harmony with his team and to celebrate another player kicking a goal.

I guess we both learned a lesson in humility.