Erin Anderson, mother of Southmoore soccer player Caden Anderson, supports the Southmoore soccer program by fundraising and hosting team nights.
“[Erin] and her husband, James, are great role models for all of our players and routinely offer their home to our entire team for ‘family night,’” Southmoore head boys soccer coach Kit Stephenson said. “They are great hosts and are always there to help when needed. I’m not even going to try to list all of the ways they’ve helped us, but they are very much appreciated and she is a fantastic mom.”
Erin and James have four children: Kyle, Carson, Caden and Ella. All play or played soccer.
Kyle was a star at Westmoore then Rose State. Carson played at Southmoore. Both attend the University of Oklahoma now. Caden is a sophomore and Ella is finishing elementary school this spring.
The matriarch of a sporty clan, Anderson was “never a star athlete” by her own admission.
“My dad and my husband both played college football and are extreme sports fans, so I know firsthand the passion for the sport and the desire to win and succeed. For me, it’s always been about the team,” Anderson said. “Are my kids looking out for other people and making friends with every level of the team and managers? Do they respect their teammates and conduct themselves with character? Do they respect their coaches even when they disagree? Do they clean up after themselves?”
“I’m really proud of my kids and the way they’ve handled their sports opportunities. The successes have built them up and the challenges have made them stronger.”
The aforementioned values go a long way in the Anderson house. During team nights, which the Andersons usually host twice a year (though smaller sects of the team visit more frequently), players have access to food, seating and space to visit.
“The coaching staff does a great job organizing and identifying when the team needs a night together, so really we are just willing and ready to participate in what they are already organizing,” Anderson said.
“The team actually always leaves the house in even better shape when they leave, and I think that speaks a lot to their parents and coaches.”
Supporting her kids’ passions is “always important” to Anderson, hence her willingness to host, organize or play her part with the team. She has also made lifelong friends sitting through games with other parents.
“The benefit of being on a team is watching parents come together and being able to do something together we wouldn’t be able to do individually – everyone has strengths, and it’s exciting to watch people come forward with ideas and plans I wouldn’t have ever thought about,” Anderson said. “My husband and my kids are my biggest priority, and as the kids grow up and spend less time physically at home, being involved in supporting their teams has also been a way to stay connected.”
Anderson has absorbed all of the soccer rule book she can – some parts are still head- scratchers.
“I learned all the fancy soccer things to yell, and my favorite is ‘unlucky’ or ‘right idea’ because you can yell those for just about anything,” Anderson said, “and no one knows you still don’t know what offsides is.”
Photo Credit Sara’s Photo Creations
