This week the football training sessions did start again! Already season 8 as a football dad. The first 3 to 4 season were easy with the only one son playing! But now for the fourth season in a row both are playing. My sons are now 10 ( 11 this month) and 7)

This means that the complete family life is more less or less planned around football! For sure because since this season we also have season tickets for Genk!
In Belgium there are 4 levels in which a yought team can play! The lowest level is regional, followed by state, next up is interstate and the highest level is the Elite (the yought teams of the professional clubs).

Lars

Lars is currently 10 years old and does start his 8th season already! Just like last season he does play at interstate level. Meaning pretty far away games. Far enough to loose most part of the Saturday when they do play their competition games!
Last season was his first season at this level. And it was a tough season. The complete team was promoted from regional level to interstate level which was quite a shock for all of them. But at the end of the season they did start to play better! So compared to last season they will do have a head start!

Just like all the previous seasons he will play with number 25. I am curious which place he will be playing. Last season he mainly played as central defender or as left winger (against his foot). He matured a lot in the past season. He did get thougher and has more nerves!

He is doubting if he does want to be the captain of the team again! The coach is the same as last season and was satisfied with him! On the match days, he does give the warmup to the rest of the team! And is a real captian. Giving (mental) support when needed but will also kick the ass of his teammates when they are not doing there best! The best thing of all is that they do accept this from him!

They will train 3 times a week: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Each time a session of 1.5 hours!
The home games are played on Saturday!

Nyls

Nyls will start his 4th season already. He is 7 at the moment. He will be playing for the first time at state level, which is the highest level the team is allowed to play in the under 8 competition!

Nyls is completely different then Lars. He thinks he can play but needs to get tougher and more motivated! He is more technical than Lars but Lars does compensate this with work ethos, Nyls doesn't. Still this year he wants to become a defender like his older brother but I do see more a winger in him.
Last year they did play 3 against 3, this year the field will be bigger and they will play 5 against 5. Like always when the field and the team gets bigger, players who were playing great could have a drop back, while other who were the lesser players do find themselves more at home and will improve! It is a complete different ball game!

It is hard to tell if Nyls can step up and put his actions where his mouth is! He seems more interested into football than last season! (Playing football is not mandatory for us, it is his own choice!)

Also he will have the same coach as last year and the same team!
They only train twice a week. Also session of 1.5 hours on Tuesday and Thursday! But he will play most of his games on Sunday!

Planning

Last season the only weekdays away from the football club was Thursday! Lats did train on Monday, Tuesday and Friday, while Nyls had his trainings on Monday and Wednesday. But the free day will filled in with Taekwondo! Something Nyls won't be practicing this year!

So we do have the Wednesday and Friday off! Which is great. For sure the Friday because this gives the possibility to go to a restaurant! But this freedom is compensated during the weekends with a game on Saturday and Sunday!
Also this year I will be the team manager of Lars his team! Curious how that will evolve. His coach is a screamer, something which I can't cope with! So do expect some sparkles!

So bye social life and welcome to the Football season number 8!

Cheers,
Peter