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October 17, 2005
Coping through Sport
I just got back from my double header. Surprise! We showed up for our 9:45 PM game and were told that that was the first of 2 games for us tonight. (And the indoor field is a pretty far drive from where I live). I am completely beat. We lost. Both games. By considerable margins. Our goalie did an AWESOME job or it could have been much worse. I had two goals. One was pretty cool. But overall, I am calling my play pretty darn ugly. I was getting my butt kicked left and right. I have negative jumping skills. I try and jump and I get shorter. [In HS there was this COMPLETELY embarrassing picture of me in the paper getting squashed by this other girl as we both went to head the ball. It looked like I was getting shorter and was just getting smooshed by my competitor (who also happened to look really horrible in the picture even though she was jumping higher). My face was all contorted. If my brother is reading this he can probably vouch for how bad it was. When I came down to breakfast the day it came out my dad just looked at me and said, “I hope you have a sense of humor.” The thing is, it’s not like the photographer caught me at a bad moment. I realized tonight that it was probably pretty accurate of how I (don’t) jump.] The games were fun though and as we lost by more and more the guys on our team seemed to get rowdier and rowdier and they were pretty funny. Everyone took the loss(es) in good spirits. And it is very cool playing on a team where half of the team is from a running club. Everyone was making jokes at practice and before the game about how out of soccer shape they are-but objectively, they are all in GREAT shape. I mean, some of them have marathons in a couple of weeks and even the people who aren’t in the running club all seem to be into working out. Of course they are in good shape. Plus we had plenty of subs. We had 4 girls tonight which was better.
I was really looking forward to playing. My mouth hurts. I wrote a paper all day Saturday. My grandpa died Saturday night. (My list of issues isn’t exactly in order of importance). I just needed a distraction. I knew that once I was playing I would stop thinking about everything else that was on my mind and the games did in fact do that. I love sports. I would write more about my grandpa but I am still sorting it all out. I mostly feel for the older generations in my family. I can’t imagine what it’s like for his spouse (they were married 50+ years) or his children (including my mom). What this means immediately for me is that I will be headed to Chapel Hill for the funeral later this week sometime.
Posted by Audrey at October 17, 2005 12:55 AM
Comments
Cool at least you had fun playing soccer and I am sure you forgot you had the retainer when you scored!! :)
Sorry to hear about your grandpa,my deepest condolences to you and your family.
Posted by: ML at October 17, 2005 06:54 AM
Sorry to hear about your grandfather.
Sounds like fun soccer games in spite of the scores. Glad you have a good goalie. Doubleheader soccer games?! That's rough for indoor ball. I miss playing...hopefully (maybe) my ankle will be strong enough next summer.
Posted by: Steve S. at October 17, 2005 08:47 AM
I'm really sorry to hear about your grandfather. It sounds like he was well loved.
I'm glad that you're having so much fun with soccer. I bet your vertical leap is greater than mine!
Take care of yourself this week. I'll be thinking of you.
Posted by: Alison at October 17, 2005 09:47 AM
I am so sorry to hear about your grandpa, I know that you wrote back in the summer that his health was failing. My thoughts are with you.
It's cool to see how excited you were about the soccer games! It looks like you had so much fun playing, which is what counts-not if you won or lost.
Take care,
Blondie
Posted by: Blondie at October 17, 2005 09:49 AM
Sorry to hear about your grandfather Audrey. You have a lot going on right now. Take care of yourself and your family. I'll be thinking of you!
Posted by: Beth at October 17, 2005 10:35 AM
I'm sorry to hear about your grandpa. Good thing you have healthy coping mechanisms. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Posted by: Leilani at October 17, 2005 04:04 PM
i am sorry to hear abut your grandpa too. our thoughts are with you!
Posted by: brent hopkins at October 17, 2005 07:42 PM