Category Archives: Soccer

Footie Follow-Up

As I previously posted, I joined up with a local sports league to play soccer. I was really uncertain (read: freaked out) about the fact that I would probably be playing against mostly 20-something people, generally in a better state of fitness than I am in. 

I ended up joining up with a pretty cool group of people; going from playing once per week in the spring league to joining two teams for the summer league and playing two nights a week (plus a practice on the weekend) to playing in the fall outdoor league and also hooking up with a different crew of people who play indoor soccer… making it three nights a week that I’m playing. 

It’s been a lot of fun and I have both received some good tips and training from people who have more experience and knowledge than myself. My fitness has improved a lot and I’ve dropped an additional five pounds since May, which is great. I can run faster for farther and my agility keeps getting better and better. My soccer IQ also keeps improving; the speed of the game causes me to have to really think quickly and react quickly. I’m not always successful, often not, but there are times where I’ve been able to quickly assess a situation and act, making a smart pass or getting a shot off. My goal in on-going, to get better, smarter and more fit every day. 

Life Is A Marathon

Do you remember Kevin Spacey’s character in Horrible Bosses? You know him… the super-mega asshole, Dave Harkin, who’s motto was:

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Well, I’ve discovered that there is a basis for this statement in reality. While I’m running around in soccer, I sweat and my own friggin nipples rub against the inside of my shirt. So much so that they get super sensitive and painful. Who’da thunk it?

Marathon runners will definitely attest to this as a fact and there are tons of pics out on the Internet of poor, unfortunate bastards who forgot their band aids and their nipples were bleeding by the time they were finishing the race.

Granted, I think I’m far enough away from THAT happening to me but it still keeps me aware.

What in the hell was I thinking?

I am a 40 year old man. I went and signed up to play soccer for a coed recreational league because, well, I want to play instead of just coaching. To be clear, I haven’t played on a team before… I’ve scrimmaged with the kids that I’ve coached but I haven’t been on a team as a player. I know the rules, I understand the game fairly well… I just have no skill and a general lack of fitness.

I got the list of my teammates by email today… I decided to check out who’s who by searching (read: creeping) them on Facebook. What is now freaking me out: I’ll be lucky if even one of them is over the age of 25. So from now until my first game on Monday night:

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