Last Indianapolis Post -- for Kyra and her family

After Cookie's (relatively) brief post game chat the girls were ushered over to grab the victory "hardware." The Indy Burn was run very well. Of course, with Alice, it is hard to tell .... she could navigate a shipwreck. The award ceremony was no exception. It was handled with grace and ease, just enough seriousness for the girls and their families to appreciate the effort, and with just enough casual tone that we all remembered soccer was a game. Life and reality and play always coincide.

 Our parents ooohhed and ahhhed in grateful chorus when the tournament photographers told us the team photo would be available on the tournament website....just in case some of the 6000 pix taken by parents themselves didn't turn out (BE GOOD TO GET ONE FOR THE BLOG!!! In Cookiese: "Can I get a picture ladies please?")

Cookie was particularly gracious and strikingly succinct in his remarks. He thanked the opposition, the tournament, families and the girls. And, then, on the girls behalf he dedicated the game to Kyra and her family. The faces of the girls glowed. They wanted to help so much; but they could only do so much.

My lasting memory, however, will not be of this beautiful image -- wonderful hard working young ladies ready to move into teen hood thinking sincerely of a teammate who could sure use a lift.

My lasting memory will be of the sound of the girls' voices -- unprompted -- during -- appropriately enough -- the photo shoot.

Just before the picture was taken someone said say (not cheese) but "KYRA." And everyone did. I hear a Greek name like Kyra and I think of my own Greek named daughter: Sophie. As the song from West Side Story goes, "say it soft and it's almost like praying."



So on that Easter Sunday I like to think all the girls and all the families sent their thoughts and prayers to Kyra and her family. The U12 Force is with you all the way. Please join me, then, electronically in Indianapolis and at your leisure by clicking on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm63HanYJiU 
( KYRIE, if you pardon my New Testament Greek, ELIESON -- God have Mercy on us).