"And....It's a goal!!!"

The kids did well. Neice.1 and nephew.2 set up a post Thanksgiving Day game of soccer and it turned out to be a big success. They had put out the message to their frenz and also on Section 8 message boards about the game and they got 26 or so people to play Friday afternoon. They had a field, nets, and a not too cold day to play. I was really happy, because they put a lot of effort into gettin g people to come, and it was a nice mix of people from the neighbourhood and Section 8 people from beyond. Kids did well.

I was watching the Rita game (nicely updated!) so I got there late, but I still got to play an hour and a half. Exhausted me, and I took a five minute break on the sidelines- but I held up pretty well. My team won on the proverbial 'next goal wins'- the game ended 9-8.

And guess what? I wasn't that bad! Remember- I was playing with 20 yo kids who play in college etc. I was seriously overmatched. On any listing, I would have ranked 23 or 24 on the list of best of the 26 players. No longer can I attempt to run with these kids, and they are all more skilled than I am. But given the context-I had my part.

Everyone was really skilled and knew how to play the game. The field was large, so there was room if only for a few seconds. And if I have a single strenht ign soccer, its that I have a nice first touch. I'm sure I've handled this before, but I spent next to no time playing soccer as a youth because we rarely played it (two hands can I count the times...). However, I had a huge soccer jones, so I'd take the soccer ball out into the alley and play with the ball for a long time. I took to using the garage door surface, surrounding fences, garbage cans, utility poles, etc to bounce the ball around in strange speeds and angels and spins. Lotta time and effort in essentially an exercise of passing time, but having the react to weird ball movements and spins and then kicking the ball back off the wall- it made my feet real comfortable with that first touch- No Dennis Bergkemp*now, but...

My ego got a bit of a kick when I got to a spinning ball that I realised I could outsprint the other player to. It still had a click of energy in it, so when I got to it it backheeled it diagonally onto the foot of my nephew (who I'd shouted to) perfectly, there was the mumble of nicely done across the field. Again, I was #23 on the skill level, but I had my times.

So, my first use was as an outlet in crowded spaces so our team could keep control. I'd win the ball, get a pass from a teamate besieged, or simply hustle up to a lose ball and dribble one, twice, then make the short pass to whoever I could get it to. Sometimes just a backpass, sometimes a throughball. I was happy, recognized my role and limitations, and tried to keep it @ that. Twice did I try to dribble more than four touches, and both times was dispossesed. I deserved it.

My next use was moral. I know I've coverd this before (Lynk when I find it/ bored), but when iIm on the field, I like to talk. With soccer, you absolutely have to chatter to each other, constantly- watch behind you!, free !! free !! (or the spanish solo ! ), mark him! i got him, you take him !! When we coach, we're full of it, trying to force our kids to talk when they so often don't. However, when I'm on the field, it's just so natural. And the kids? Bit by bit, they get chattier and chattier. @ he end of the game, when it was called out "Last Goal !!", both teams became real serious, covering hard, and very very loud.

Oh, and I had one last part to play. I almost forgot. For the first half of my time on the field, I played a left mid with a mind to defense. However, there was just so much unmarked territory to attack into when my team was on the attack, I naturally drifted up to see what I could do in empty- but - dangerous areas in their zone. On one of these attacks, I drifted into the six yard box while one of the talented players workd it up the rite and sent to me a perfect soft cross. BAMM spot on, my hat coming down over my eyes so I never saw it go into the net, but yes yes yes. No chance to do my Alan Shearer ' hand in the air celebration ' or the Ante Razov ' jump in the air and punch ' (it's there- you have to wait till second 52 to see it), either.

I had a good game, on many levels.

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*=that Bergkamp goal? Nice- but as I've descussed, it's emminantely doable by me or anyone with anysorta skill level. The control of the ball, the push ahead for space- i could do. The blast? Probably not. The thing abput control like that is is that th greats exhibit it on every play- me just once a year.