top of page
Search

The Last Game: A Real End of Season Youth Soccer Story About Resilience

ree

The Last Game: When My 5-Year-Old Scored — And Broke His Trophy

End of season youth soccer always surprises me — not just with the goals, but with the moments that turn into family stories. This weekend, my 5-year-old played his last game of the season, and what happened after is something I’ll remember far longer than the score.


A Big Goal in End of Season Youth Soccer

He had worked so hard all fall.

Running with his tiny legs pumping.

Chasing the ball with pure joy.

Trying to score every single game.

And this weekend…he did it again.

He scored — and his whole face lit up.

Maybe the best part? He didn’t look for anyone’s reaction. He just did his little happy jump steps, made his own celebration gesture, and smiled like he was the only one in the world.

I love seeing that — pure, genuine joy.


The Trophy That Meant Everything

After the game, he received his end-of-season trophy.

He held it like it was pure gold — smiling, bouncing, proud in a way only a 5-year-old can be.

He brought it to his brother’s game because he wanted to show everyone.

He kept saying:

“I scored AND I got a trophy!”

But somewhere between excitement and running around…the trophy snapped.

And he absolutely crumbled.

Tiny shoulders shaking.

Tears running down his cheeks.

A kind of heartbreak that feels enormous when you’re five.


Glued Together — Just Like Confidence

We told him we could fix it — and we did.

Superglue.

A steady hand.

A lot of patience.

When it dried, he held it again with that same pride.

But something had changed — in the best way.

He learned that:

  • Good things can break.

  • We don’t have to throw them away.

  • We can fix them and keep going.

And if that isn’t youth sports… I don’t know what is.


What He Really Learned This Season

This season wasn’t about scoring goals.

It wasn’t about trophies.

It was about:

  • Showing up

  • Trying again

  • Learning from mistakes

  • Feeling proud of effort

  • Building confidence that lasts

And honestly?

I’m proud of him too.


Want More Moments Like This?

If you love honest, real stories from the sidelines, you’ll love these too:

Want more real soccer-family stories each week?

Follow along and join our email list.

Comments

bottom of page