Little Wandering Wren …. chats!

Crazy Soccer Mum is off to Russia to watch the World Cup in 2018. Try breaking that news gently to your football-mad son. It was quite a week Down Under as Australia made worldwide news  and is rather chuffed with herself for two reasons: Firstly Australia voted a huge rainbow yes in the same-sex marriage equality vote. When, hardly had the hugging finished, when everyone (well mostly grown men) were back hugging each other with delight when the Socceroos finally won a last-ditch place in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.  Yes, whilst President Trump was tweeting about Elephants and banning (or not) the Ivory trade into the US, our Prime Minister was proudly tweeting 'The Socceroos ... are on the road to Moscow...'  We should go we said! I've never been to Russia, Moscow would be amazing... My son and my husband had been talking about a boys trip to the World Cup for months but missed the first ballot in a leave-anything-to-the-men and ...

We're just gearing up for the start of the 2016 Australian Winter football season. Move over cricket, here come the soccer players! After what seems to have been the shortest pre-season ever,   it didn't help being away for all the warm -up matches,  yesterday was Round One of the Victorian Women's National Premier League. So it's football boots on and off we go! Ha! Well, that's, of course, the right royal "we", I'm just the crazy soccer Mum. This season looks to be calmer than last year when our family were either  playing, coaching or assisting with seven matches over the course of a weekend. No wonder I'm crazy, just keeping everyone fuelled for optimum performance was a challenge and my workout! The photo I'm sharing this weekend is from Myanmar when we stumbled upon a village soccer tournament. What do you see? Village football Yangon, Myanmar I love seeing the Beautiful Game being played around the...

Or work, travel and see the world. It's a tough one! We have a soft spot for the film ‘Bend it Like Beckham’ at our Football Club, we say it was largely responsible for our Club being! The movie certainly showcased changing attitudes to females participating in sport and inspired a whole generation of female footballers across the world. In 2002  at the time of the film, my daughter was playing for an U8 boys team in Melbourne. After the film and the surge in girls wanting to play soccer, our club was formed, and she now plays (and coaches) alongside over 200 girls and women players. Bend it like Beckham, is a new musical in London’s West End, opening with  perfect timing given the recent Women’s World Cup in Canada. Interest in the sport today is at an all time high. A record 25.4 million Americans watched their country win the Women's World Cup final on US television, other sports are green with envy with those viewing figures. I have just picked ...

Sorry my blogging  has been a little sparse, it's because we've had two world sporting events  collide  in this household! AUSTRALIAN OPEN VS ASIAN CUP Andy Murray at Margaret Court, Asian Cup at Rectangular Stadium By day we've been enjoying the Grand Slam tennis at Melbourne Park,  cheering on our very own WTA Pro Tennis Player, and by night, we've been volunteering at the Asian Cup,  Australia's biggest ever football tournament  ' Go Soccerroos - Champions of Asia '! Hisense Arena tennis from Asian Cup's Rectangular Stadium.  Your Little Wren has a very important role in securing Aussie Open on court tennis success. I'm in charge of toast and Tim Tams! Gluten free and organic toast of course we're talking elite athletes here...  and Tim Tams (Aussie chocolate biscuits)  for the team celebration (ie the rest of us!). You know right, that behind every successful athlete  is a...

January was always going to be a cracker of a sporting month! We've got a tennis grand slam  and Asia's most significant football tournament happening in this household at the moment. We are volunteering at the Asian Cup,  whilst housing for the Australian Open. Talk about busy and exciting! So you will find me on match days   nattily dressed  in a pair of bright orange  "does my bum look big in this?"  shorts down at Melbourne's Rectangular Stadium . I am,  in case you wondered,  supposedly dressed to look like a ray of Australian sunshine. How lovely I hear you say! I'm not sure whether we are the only family  who are volunteering together, but needless to say,  my son and daughter both look terrific in their uniforms, and me, well... Not since daughter Number 2 was eighteen months old have we been decked out in the same attire. I have a feeling that i...

Crazy Soccer Mum takes a well earned break... Crazy Soccer Mum is staring down the  barrel  pitch towards the end of the football season.  I won’t know myself,  and the washing machine will have to get used to  spending a lot more time without me.  This reminded me of my son and daughter! At the peak of the season  there is football every day,  whether it was coaching, training or playing,  Not me, I hasten to add.  I’m just the unfit mother  who’s trying to keep up with the washing  and work out a vaguely reasonable time for dinner!  Fuel is very important for performance you know! Gold Coast September 2014 I think the Crazy Soccer Mum title is a tad unfair,  it comes from the day when I was chasing sponsorship money  for our community football team  and the PA to some local bigwig  forgot to press mute before she yelled: ‘Shane, we have ...

It has been a wet & stormy winter weekend in Melbourne. Football continues rain, shine or hail (as we had today!) Hard for the players, even harder for spectators... Why didn't I think of bringing a tent to keep dry?! Watching soccer in Melbourne Hope you have a great week! Love Crazy (and drenched) Soccer Mum.