SOCCER SEASON FINALLY COMES TO AN END.

Byline: Posted by Tim Haddock valleynews.com user

Our AYSO season came to an end last Saturday. No more practices, no more games, no more scrimmages. The team party, however, may not start until after the new year.

But that's a-whole-nother-story.

I was actually looking forward to having my son play again in the spring season and started asking around if the other boys would be playing too.

One wants to try golf.

Three others are signed up for baseball.

Three are in Scouts.

So much for keeping the team together.

It would actually be nice if my son showed an interest in golf. That's a sport I could actually teach him how to play. Not that I am a great golfer, but my ball goes straight most of the time and some of my so-called friends question my 30-handicap. Like I'm some sort of sandbagger or something.

Baseball is another sport I hope my son takes an interest in playing. Mind you, he's been to every Opening Day at Dodger Stadium since he was 3. He is part of the now-Philippe's crowd. We used to be the Olvera Street crowd, but the restaurant, Las Golondrinas for lack of a less-complicated name, didn't open early for us last year. We have been going to the same Mexican restaurant for the past eight years. They have always opened a little early for us, so we can eat huevos rancheros, refried beans, tortilla chips and salsa and let it digest before we go to the ballpark for hot dogs, nachos and popcorn. My son insists on having popcorn and lemonade at every Dodger game. Who am I to argue?

But this past Opening Day, Las Golondrinas didn't open early for us. Probably was a good thing, too. They were closed for some time last year because of a hepatitis scare. That could make for an icky situation, especially in the pavilion of Dodger Stadium.

At some point, it would be nice if my son would express an interest in playing baseball rather than watching it. But for the time being, I am content with him being at the games with me and eating all the popcorn and cotton candy he can.

The Scouts, however, I am not too happy with.

Second to last game of the year, three of my boys were on a Scouts field trip to Marina del Rey. That left us with four players for the game.

Not so bad, I thought. We could play a little 4-on-4, old-time, Eddie Shore, hockey style. I had images of Gretzky, Kurri and Coffey and old World Hockey League play.

That lasted for about seven minutes. My boys pooped out pretty quick without any subs. Halftime couldn't come fast enough.

Thank goodness there were no Scout outings conflicting with the last game of the season. We had all seven boys for the game for the first time in about a month. We even had the lead in the game after the first period.

The season ended rather quietly. We were one of the last teams to play. We had to take down the goal posts and the corner flags and clean up the field for the last time this season.

It ended too quickly. I wanted to get to know my boys a little better. I was hoping to get a chance to run into them in the spring. It looks like I may have to wait until next fall. In a way, it's a good thing to see them have other interests. It made me even consider giving Scouts a try.

At least we have the team party, one last chance to meet and visit with the boys. When that chance comes, I have no idea, but I am sure it will happen someday. And when it does, my son and I plan to enjoy every minute of it.