<a rel="attachment wp-att-3721" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/11/soccer-mom-101-the-southie/dscn0274/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3721" title="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSCN0274-500x375.jpg" alt="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" width="500" height="375" /></a>

Lately I have been remiss in my job of presenting south Tulsa to the world for TashaDoesTulsa.com, and under threat of be dethroned as The Southie Queen (not that there could be any other, but still) I decided to tell you about what's been keeping me and lots of other south Tulsans busy lately.

But first, you need a little background on the standard south Tulsan.

<!--more-->A large percentage of us have grade-school aged children.

OK. Now that we've had that lesson and you're all caught up, I can continue.

When you have grade-school aged children, you spend a lot of your time trying to mold these children into great future citizens of this city. In order to do this you shelter them from Oklahoma's crazy weather, you feed them Bixby corn to make them strong, and you try to teach them how to be team players them by signing them up for soccer.

You see, for south Tulsans it's almost a right of passage to put your child on a soccer team. Some parents love it. Some hate it.

Some parents end up wearing a shirt emblazoned with the title, coach.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-3726" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/11/soccer-mom-101-the-southie/img_1293/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3726" title="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_1293-500x576.jpg" alt="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" width="500" height="576" /></a>

Either way I have yet to meet a south Tulsa parent who didn't put his/her kids in some sort of soccer program, even for only for one season.

And if you put your kids in soccer, even if only for one season, there are a few important things you must remember.

1. You will receive a list from your coach of items that your little soccer player must have to play soccer. There's a list for parents, too, even if they had to come up with it themselves. During soccer season I keep the items on that list in my car at all times. You never know when you will need them:
<ul>
	<li>Warm blankets (preferably one's that have a plastic coating on one side to block the wind)</li>
	<li>First aid kit with extra ice packs</li>
	<li>Allergy medicine for both you and your child (I always get my soccer shot, a.k.a. an allergy shot, right before soccer season starts)</li>
	<li>Kleenex</li>
	<li>Snacks for you</li>
	<li>A camera with a fully charged</li>
	<li>Cash (just in case you forget about which game day is your day to bring snacks)</li>
	<li>Activities to entertain the children not playing soccer.</li>
</ul>
Most important to have on hand, though, is a good chair. Most soccer fields do not have comfortable seats.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-3723" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/11/soccer-mom-101-the-southie/dscn3846/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3723" title="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSCN3846-500x521.jpg" alt="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" width="500" height="521" /></a>

OK, in Green Country, none do. So for the sake of your rear end, bring a good chair.

2. You must get used to the fact that your entire life on the weekends will revolve around soccer, and at many of your other activities your kids will still be in their soccer uniforms. Like so:

<a rel="attachment wp-att-3725" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/11/soccer-mom-101-the-southie/dscn3874/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3725" title="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSCN3874-500x530.jpg" alt="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" width="500" height="530" /></a>

3. As a parent you do not get to pick what position your child plays, even when the position makes you sick to your stomach as you envision teeth getting knocked out by that overly aggressive player who continues to kick the ball once your child already has it in his or her hands.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-3728" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/11/soccer-mom-101-the-southie/soccer-collage/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3728" title="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Soccer-collage-500x252.jpg" alt="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" width="500" height="252" /></a>

4. Being an active soccer parent means that you must learn a few key phrases for the game:
<ul>
	<li>"Mark up!"</li>
	<li>"Beautiful!</li>
	<li>"Good job, keeper!"</li>
	<li>"Unlucky!"</li>
	<li>"Turn and Look!"</li>
	<li>"Quickly!"</li>
	<li>"WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!!"</li>
</ul>
<a rel="attachment wp-att-3724" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/11/soccer-mom-101-the-southie/dscn3848/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3724" title="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSCN3848-500x367.jpg" alt="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" width="500" height="367" /></a>

Don't worry about what any of these actually mean. It's unimportant.  What is important is to cheer for your kids.  What is also important, and you will learn this as your children get older and are embarrassed to know you when when the coach/referee tells you to pipe down is to know the line not to cross when yelling on the sidelines at your child's soccer game.  Too little and you become that parent who doesn't care.  To much and you're that parent who, well, possibly cares a little too much.

5.  Like many other volunteer jobs, coaching soccer can sometimes be a trying job.  Not only do you have to do the job of teaching and motivating your players in a positive way that promotes good sportsmanship, but you also have to deal with scheduling, parents, little girl drama, little boy drama, other coaches, and the weather.  Oh, and let's not forget about that pesky wife or husband on the sidelines who really enjoys taking pictures of you at the games.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-3722" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/11/soccer-mom-101-the-southie/dscn0276/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3722" title="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSCN0276-500x631.jpg" alt="Southie Soccer by Kellyology" width="500" height="631" /></a>

6. There is nothing cuter than watching the little ones bee hive around the soccer ball at their first game, nor anything better than when the bee hives disappear and before your eyes a real competitive soccer team first emerges.

So now that you know the ropes around the Southie soccer field, you're super-excited to get your child signed up, right? Well, you're in luck.  Sign-ups are happening now all over Green Country for spring season youth soccer.  Visit <a href="http://www.gcsoccer.com/index.htm">the Green Country Soccer Association website</a> for information about fields, clubs, and opportunities for your little ones.

And may the force be with you.

<em><a href="http://www.kellyology.net/">Kelly writes Kellyology.net</a>, a blog about life in Oklahoma, motherhood and the general stuff of life. She joins us here at TDT as The Southie, covering all the event news that's fit to blog from south of 71st Street.</em>