N's first love

Soccer is by far N's first love. He has loved this game from the first time he played at 4 years old! I can't believe how far he's come, how much he knows, and how good he is.

 N has always chosen to wear the #6. Nat Borchers wears #6 and he is N's favorite professional player. He plays defender for Real Salt Lake. I think that since N is a defender (most of the time) and Nat is a defender, and that they share some resemblance of the same name, N just likes him!

 N played his last indoor season game this past weekend. He scored 2 goals and his team won, 8-2. In this sequence of pics, you can see N's 2nd goal and how he ran the goalie down.

 This pic (above) is one of my favorite of the season. It's very very rare for N to show any emotion in soccer games. We usually get a little look and that's the extent - but not today - today we got an "airplane" and I captured it!

A few years ago, Nat Borchers gave N his private email and said to email him any time. So over the years, these two have emailed back and forth about different things. Well, last week, Nat sent N a note and told him that he'd be at a certain location in downtown SLC and that N should stop by. So after N's soccer game we rushed down to see Nat. It was a fantastic visit. Nat recognized N immediately and even commented on how big his feet were getting. N had a poster for Nat to sign, and of course he did and then he gave N an RSL ball and signed that too! He chatted with N about everything from the new jerseys and new coach to how he and his wife are excited to welcome their first baby in June. He really is a classy guy. I don't know any professional athletes that would take so much time for an 11y/o boy. One thing I always want to remember about this meeting is something that Nat told N. They were talking about how N feels like he is "slow" on the field. N has the skills and knowledge - more than any other boy on the field - but he doesn't posses the speed. Nat said "you don't have to be fast to have a good career". I thought that was awesome and I think it meant a lot to N too.