March 17, 2002
Soccer in the Mud
It hadn't really seemed to have rained last night when I went to bed, so I had to get up for the 8:30AM soccer game. I somehow managed to get up and get to the machine to see if the game is still on. It is, even though it sounds like it is raining outside. Maybe it is nicer up in Palo Alto, I think, as I get my uniform on.
I step outside and it is really raining, and cold. I go back inside to get a long sleeve shirt to put on under the jersey - won't help against the rain, but should help against the cold. And I call the rain-out phone number to double check. It still says the fields are open. All right, I'll go.
During the drive the rain just gets worse as I head north. Not better in Palo Alto, I guess. If I wasn't the coordinator for the week I probably would have just turned around, but I thought I should show up just in case. I pull into the nearly empty lot and see people setting up the nets. It seems crazy, but I guess the game is on. Or at least a pick-up, since there are definitely not enough people for 3 games.
I put the extra shirt on and head out, and it is ugly. Cold, wet, the fields getting muddier and muddier. We decide to consolidate into one game, A's and B's, and get started. I play sweeper the whole time, and for the first time ever I wish for more play on the defensive end of the field so I can keep moving to stay warmer. My glasses continually get so wet I can't see much, but I ran out of dry areas to wipe them off with. My side actually does quite well - it is nice to have those A level forwards to put the ball in, I guess.
I only have one really good play on defense, where the keeper came out to grab the ball but it slipped or bounced away and the other side tapped it in towards the goal. I manage to get a left foot on it, but don't quite get it angled away from the goal so it looks like it is still going in. I slide, and my right foot knocks it away for the corner kick. So close! I then got to spend the rest of the game half-covered in mud, which did not do much to keep me any warmer.
I subbed out with about 7 minutes left, and left with about a minute left. Standing still on the sideline was terribly cold, and I was soaked completely through.
And on the way back home I got to see a huge pickup do a 360 degree spin across 3 lanes of traffic right in front of me on the freeway. Yikes. Go little Honda with your antilock brakes and low center of gravity. I thought the pickup was going to tip, but it kept spinning until they brought it under control on the shoulder. Scary, although I think I may have been too cold to get the adrenaline surge, which is strange.
It was very nice to get home and take a long, hot shower and curl up in bed again.
Posted by babar at March 17, 2002 04:43 PM