Howdy Folks, this is @zambereileen posting from the sidelines of a hometown high-school soccer game in Southern Oregon. Today’s game is the culmination of years of dedication to our son and his sport, countless practice hours, various degrees of injury, hundreds of miles to and from games, untold heartbreak and myriad hard earned triumphs. Through soccer he has built strong bonds with fellow teammates and experienced the thrill of competition and hometown pride. He has learned the importance of good sportsmanship; how to gracefully accept defeat and graciously celebrate victory. Watching my son play soccer; muscles straining, eyes flashing, feet pounding turf; fills me with deep sense of pride that only a parent can know. He is a young man on the cusp of his prime, with the world (and a soccer ball) at his feet. I cannot play his part, nor join the game, but I will stand steadfast on the sidelines, encouraging, supporting and chearing him on. In soccer, and in life.