Soccer season is in full swing

 Mark in goal and Gracie on defense....they make a great team!

 

Let the season begin!

 Holy Cross Academy had their first soccer game tonight. 
I only have one player this year...it is very strange...but exciting all the same.

We do also have the best ever ball boy....Luke was ball boy for the whole boy's game and half of the girl's game and never stopped running. 

Soccer Season Has Begun

 A view of our enthusiastic cute  fans....while they try to keep the sun out of their eyes.

 Laura's senior year...last year for Holy Cross soccer.  She has played all 6 years.

You've come a long way, Laura!!!

 Mark's 7th grade year....first year ever playing soccer for any team.

 The team consists of 7th through 12th graders, so the "little kids" don't get a lot of playing time.

But Mark got on the field and he was hustling all the time.

Mark even touched the ball during the game.

Here's to many more great games in your future, Mark!

The Girls are Heading to the Championship!!

"Can we have quiet for the National Anthem"
Laura and Amy

Mark

I call this photo: "A ballboy and his hotdog"

Daddy

The other cute ballboy on the opposite sideline.

Laura and Mark

It was about 40 degrees out--it took me 3 hours to get the inside of my bones warm.

(They were really, really cold!)

(Just because I like looking at photos of the cute ballboy)

Good sports!

HCA wins 3-0

Amy sticks with team for the brownies.

Next week---a championship game.

You can do it, girls!!

Men in Black, saving goals and souls

Today, Holy Cross Academy had the great privilege of hosting the first ever Men In Black soccer Game.
The Men in Black---posing with the Bishop of Syracuse, Bishop Cunningham.
If you notice the goalie in red---that's my boy, Daniel. He is one of the newest seminiarians for the diocese. (Keep him in your prayers, please)
We are all soooo happy that Grandpa and Grandma could make it to the game--they had great seats too---right next to the sideline. (It pays to know the home teams athletic director.)
Pre-game preparations....

Holy Cross discussing their game plan.

Danny and his "former" teammates.

The Holy Cross Crusaders

Father Joe O'Connor introduces the Men in Black.

Danny, being announced for the first time for the "Men in Black."

Bishop Cunningham led us in an opening prayer.

Holy Cross Academy's select choir sang the National Anthem.

This was fun!!

Between quarters, Deacon Shultz rode his bike past 5 of the Holy Cross soccer players---the challenge was to kick the soccerball through the hoop on the back of the bike.

By golly, Mark V did it!!! What a great shot!!

With all the pointing on the side of the Men In Black, I wasn't sure they knew where to go.

Thanks Dan Miller for being an awesome sound guy!

In honor of the World Cup, we even had a few vuvuzelas.

It was HOT!!!

We were all "well done" by the time the game ended.

During half-time some of the kids tried their luck at scoring on a Men In Black goalie.

Luke SCORES!!

Luke with his favorite goalie---along with the patch he won by scoring his goal.

It was a wonderful, uplifting event.

It was so great to see so many young men eager to give their lives to God and God's people.

It's easy to become a discouraged when we think about the future of the church, but after today, I realize that there are still holy young men eager to answer God's call.

And as a sidenote, the Men in Black won the game in a 3-2 shootout---but that wasn't really what the day was all about, was it?!!

Credit for the very cute blog post title goes to Amy Collins!!