Soccer-Fied!

I played soccer when I was 12 or so and back then, girl's soccer wasn't like it is now.  There was no girl's soccer team so I had to play on a team of boys which let's face it, had its pros and cons.  It never hurts when there is a cute boy who you have a crush on playing on your team.  But I digress...

At 12, being with friends starts to become more of a focus in life and because boys are much more aggressive than girls, I switched over to softball so I could play with my friends.  When I think back on this now, it was probably the right decision at the time given my options of continuing to play soccer but in some ways, I wish things could have been different.

With the passage of time, soccer has changed and so have I.  I now have 2 children, ages 11 and 7 who are both playing soccer.  My girl has been playing since she was 5 and oh how times have changed.  There's girl's soccer now and it is one of the most participated sports in our country.  My boy wants to be a keeper.  We are busy 4 times a week or more during the spring and in the winter where they both play..wait for it, indoor soccer!  I know, crazy isn't it?  If we're not on the field watching a game, or at a practice we're watching soccer at home.  Most recently it was the FIFA Women's World Cup.  My husband managed to PVR every single game and I believe, if I'm not mistaken, he missed only one of those games.  It was an awesome tournament with some amazing soccer - I really enjoyed it and cannot wait to see some World Cup when Canada hosts this awesome tournament in 2015.  The final game between Japan and the USA was truly inspiring!  Both teams are an inspiration to their countries and to youth soccer players everywhere and my hat goes off to all of you.

Last year it was the FIFA Men's World Cup which also played host to some amazing soccer. May I present to you Exhibit A:

 Diego (sigh) Forlan

Or, Exhibit B:

Fabio (my personal favorite) Cannavaro

If the fact that he's not wearing any clothes bother's you, well he dresses up real nice too!

Both play some pretty good soccer too, I might add!

Okay, where was I?  Oh right, soccer.  So if it wasn't enough that both kids were playing soccer and my husband was coaching our son's team, I signed up to play this season too.  I felt I should be a good example to both of my kids as well as getting out there and getting some more exercise, in a game which I seem to have become obsessed with - Exhibits A&B notwithstanding - how about Exhibit C:

David (can't leave him out) Beckham

So I signed up to play for a team in the Master's Division, in what I like to refer to as beer league soccer.  This division is for women who are over 35.  I may watch the game and read about the game but I am far from an expert at playing the game, seeing as how I haven't played in over 20 years.  I feel I have a lot to learn but really I, and I think most of my teammates are just out there to have fun for the most part and get some exercise, but some of these teams, WOW, they are something else!  I'm all about competition but some of them are taking it to a whole other level, on a whole other planet which I have obviously never visited.  Is the screaming coach on your bench really necessary?   Stop pawing at me already, you're not my husband, and I don't even put up with it from him let alone some sweaty, mascara smeared stranger whom I've never met before.  Are you really over 35?

While I appreciate competition as much as the next person, how much fun is it really to be hosing teams 10-0 game after game?  I don't know all the rules regarding how they define these divisions, but maybe they want to think about dividing the Masters into the "We want to kick your ass so bad while our coach screams at us" division and the "we're only here to play soccer so we can go to Tapp's afterwards".  In the end though, I'm sure glad I signed up.  I'm having some fun and meeting some great ladies because if I wasn't, I might as well stay home and enjoy this instead which really isn't so bad!

Cristiano (Oh My!) Ronaldo