Musings of a Soccer Mom

By Emily King

As I’m writing this, summer is officially coming to an end, school starts in two days, and my family is in that weird time between when summer camps end and school starts. It feels like the week between Christmas and New Year’s. What day is it? What time is it? What should we do? Nobody knows.

But many sports parents are experiencing a hint of what’s to come. The emails announcing finalized rosters. The “ding” of a dozen different sports team apps with endless requests of parents: medical releases, tournament fees due, schedule changes. With three active boys on multiple sports teams, this is our busiest time of year. We’re balancing so many practice and game schedules, driving kids this way and that, planning quick dinners, and spending the after-school hours living in our cars. 

And yet, there’s something special about this busy season. There’s the camaraderie of sideline conversations with other parents, bundled up in sweatshirts and clutching travel mugs of coffee. There’s the joy of watching our kids learn teamwork, perseverance, and the simple thrill of playing the game. Even snack duty becomes part of the memory-making.

Of course, the pace can be exhausting. Rushing from school pickup to practice, from the grocery store to the field, often leaves us wondering how to squeeze it all in. But I’m reminding myself that this is just a season, fleeting and temporary. One day, the cleats will be packed away for good, the car will be clean again, and the sidelines a little quieter.

So for now, I’m choosing to embrace the chaos, the cheers, and even the muddy shoes by the door. Because this season of busyness is also a season of joy—and I know I’ll miss it when it’s gone.