Take the Kids: Play - 5 things for families beyond watching soccer at NCFC, Courage games

North Carolina Football Club, the professional men's soccer team, opened its season at WakeMed Soccer Park last weekend. And, on Saturday, the North Carolina Courage, the professional women's soccer team, will open its season with a 3:30 p.m. game against the Portland Thorns.

Saturday's matchup will pit the Courage against the team that beat them in the National Women's Soccer League championship in the fall. It's expected to be an intense matchup. (The Courage came away with the league's best record in the regular season overall.)

But these first games also launch lots of family-friendly and affordable opportunities to take in some world-class soccer. Three Courage players - Crystal Dunn, Abby Dahlkemper and Lynn Wlliams - were recently called up to play on the U.S. Women’s National Team for two matches against Mexico next month.

For the thousands of soccer-playing kids and soccer-loving fans in the Triangle, NCFC and Courage games offer a great chance to see top players in action. Don't get me wrong. There is some fantastic soccer happening on the field.

But it's not just about soccer. Here are 5 things families can enjoy at NCFC and Courage games.

Yep ... you read that right. It's a life-size pool table that replaces billiard balls with soccer balls and pool cues with your legs as you try to get the various balls into the pockets. You'll find it in the lower area of the stadium. The team also often has other activities, including a soccer goal inflatable, for kids to check out.

If an ice cream at a game is in your future, Buck Buchanan, Lumpy's owner, offers this pro tip: Get it before half-time when the lines get LONG. (I've only made that mistake once.) Buchanan tells me that he's working now with NCFC and Courage staff to develop specialty flavors based on different players. Single scoop cones of this amazing ice cream are $5. Waffle cones are $6. And they also sell some really yummy hot pretzels. (They take credit cards.) Here's Buchanan last week for NCFC's home opener, very excited to scoop up ice cream.

And let's take a look, for a moment, at a shot of this luscious ice cream ...

It's not a formal thing, but, after most games, some of the players will come back out on the field to sign T-shirts, soccer balls and other items. Just walk down to the bottom of the section where you're sitting, and they'll often walk around looking for fans to greet, things to sign and kids to high five. One note: Soccer balls may be brought in for autograph purposes, but they must be deflated.

Kids can be part of the action - kind of - when they sign up to be ball kids and player companions. Any group of kids under 13 can sign up to be player companions and ball kids. And they don't necessarily have to play soccer. T-ball teams, scout troops and other groups are welcome to help out. To sign up, call the ticket office at 919-459-8144.

Game tickets start at $14. At each regular season home game, both NCFC and Courage offer Fan 4 Packs, which include four tickets and four concession stand meal vouchers for a discounted price that ranges between $68 and $128 depending on your seating location.