Soccer season almost over

Hey RR, congrats on your kid making the all-star team. You say he's not the biggest or fastest, but a real digger -- attitude and drive in soccer count far more than physical largess. Too bad though that it sounds like you aren't involved with his current team -- I think you should switch to become involved.

It's funny how soccer seasons vary with location. In my cold-climate, we usually have snow on the ground from mid-November through the end of March. So outdoor soccer starts the end of April or early May when the fields have dried up, and then goes at a frantic pace until the end of June, when school ends. ("Competitive" soccer goes through most of the summer, but "community" soccer has a shorter season). Sounds like you continue outdoor soccer throughout summer, and into the fall.

Here we have "indoor soccer" in the fall and winter. This is kind of a cross between soccer and hockey -- it is played in indoor facilities that are designed specifically for soccer, but look similar to hockey rinks. It is a very fast-paced game because the boards keep everything kept in constant play, and it is played with 5 players per side (plus a goalie), with line changes every two minutes or so. Each team has 15-18 players, so they can hopefully set up 3 line changes to deal with the fast pace of player changes. In the Edmonton local area, there are at least 18 indoor soccer pitches, and it is a pretty popular winter passtime.
-Don