After coming into the game of football late at the age of 34, controlling a ball did not come easily. Almost every day from Lily at age zero I was juggling a football, dribbling one around the room, kicking one round the room, trying to juggle one around the room - with Lily in my arms or a sling. I have on my phone, video of her 5 days after her first step, dribbling a ball down the lounge room.
Last week she came to my game. Afterward she was kicking the ball to and from Tony’s sister, an Australian Schoolgirls striker. Lily had a lot of fun kicking the ball to real players on a real pitch, even though the ball was 3/4 of her height.
On Monday, 2 days later, as President of the Club, I had the executive meeting at our house, downstairs, Lily could not stay away, and was mesmerised by all the "football" talk. At one stage she went up stairs and rolled down the stairs into our meeting area all the upstairs footballs, five i think. (we both laugh when a new toddler comes to the house and kicks one of the many footballs lying around and a parent remonstrates "don't kick the ball inside the house")
The night went on late, mum got grumpy trying to get Lily to sleep and passed out on the bed herself. Lily kept coming down stairs and sitting quietly on my lap as we discussed teams, leagues, pitch care, fundraising etc.
Finally after everyone had gone I turned out the lights she fell asleep in my arms, after i said "it's easy, just relax and close your eyes." So i put her in her bed, went for a shower, went to sleep.
At 4:20am, very dark, Lily started grumbling loudly. I lent over lis to where lily was lying on her mattress on the ground and said "it's dark and late lily, daddy wants to go to sleep, do you want water ?" She said "nooooo" and grumbled on. I said "Lily, what's up, why are you grizzling, can daddy get you anything ?" She said "nooooo". She grizzled and grumbled and i said "lily, what is the matter?" She said, very clearly at 4:3am "I want to play football" and went back to sleep.
paul
