Battle wounds

Yesterday night I had a soccer game and I got beat up. The team we played against was rough and mean. Especially the girls. I mean, I’m competitive and play hard but they were practically growling. Plus, the elbowing and tripping were not necessary. It’s just for fun people! There is no prize! (or at least I don’t think there’s one) Anyway, the extreme aggression is just pointless.

Because of the over zealousness of the other team I ended up taking several falls and am quite sore today. I also ended up with some pretty decent marks and bruises. Most of them are boring scrapes and such, but one I am actually pretty proud of. I’m impressed with it mostly because it came from an awesome block on my part, if I do say so myself. A guy took a shot at the goal and I saved it with my knee. It stung like crazy! Enough that the dude asked if I was ok. It was a hard hit. I was fine but when I got home I took a better look.

Yes, that is an imprint of the soccer ball on my knee. Jealous?

I’m sorry but that? Is a pretty cool bruise. It’s more than 24 hours later and it’s still there in the same shape although it’s faded a little. Not exactly the sexiest thing around but I think Joel is impressed and that’s what really matters.

If you see me I won’t be rocking shorts for the next couple of weeks until these marks start to go away. Right now it’s very obvious that I got in a fight with a soccer ball… and it won.

Game Two

We lost again. World Cup Champions we are not. We did however improve over last week… by one point. What? Shut up.

Seriously stop laughing.

Anyway, Joel came to the game this time and took a couple pictures and video clips. It was hard to get a clear shot because I am so awesome and move like lightning there was a net in the way. He got a couple decent shots though and then turned it into a fun little video. Enjoy.

Yay Chicago!

The Blackhawks did it! They won the Stanley Cup. I’m so proud to be from Chicago right now. I may not be a huge sports person of any kind. I don’t know team players or coaches names. I have a very basic understanding of the rules. However, when my city has a team that’s doing well I am all about sports. This year it was hockey which happens to be my favorite sport.

The energy after they won the game was amazing. Walking down the street you could hear people yelling and cheering. People were honking their horns and waving out their car windows. It was an incredibly exciting thing to be a part of.

So happy, so proud. Yay Blackhawks!!!!

I play like a girl

But I’m ok with that. Today was my first soccer game. Honestly? I was nervous about it all day long. I’m lame like that. I generally get all worked up about new situations. Not enough to not do whatever it is, but enough to seriously consider backing out. What’s the fun of running away from life though? I love trying new things. There’s just those last second, what-the-heck-did-I-get-myself-into?!?! type thoughts that sneak in. If you virtually held my hand or made me laugh on Twitter while I freaked a little thank you so much.

Anyway, I worked up the nerve to go inside and was informed that since it’s a co-ed team there has to be two girls on the field at all times. There were two girls there. ::commence mental freak out number two:: The other girl (the smart one) quickly called playing defense and my eyes probably grew as big as saucers when I realized that meant I would be playing forward. ::visions of self being carried away on a stretcher:: Thankfully God loves me and another girl showed up before the game started which meant I could play defense and not die. Yay for not dying!

We played a pretty good game. Well, at least we tried really hard. I even got a few good blocks in. There were also a couple times when the ball when straight through my legs but we’ll not focus on those. The only really dumb thing I did was go back to the same side after half time. Duh, of course we switch sides halfway through. You’d think the fact that I was standing amidst the other team would have clued me in. Nope, one of my teammates had to call me over. ::facepalm:: Oh well.

I ended up playing almost the entire game. I think I sat out for maybe two or three minutes at the end of the first half but I stayed in the entire second half. Since I played defense I was able to rest while the ball wasn’t on our side. Don’t know if that’s what I was supposed to do but I did. So there. It meant I was only dying half the game. Or really like three quarters since the other team quickly figured out who the weakest player was and focused on my her side of the field.

We went a really long time and kept them from scoring. Aaaand then not so much. The final score was 7-1. They basically murdered us. At least we got the one goal so it wasn’t a complete embarrassment*. I didn’t mind losing so much since I was just proud of staying conscious. I think it really bugged a couple members of my team though so I felt a little bad about that. I’m definitely starting C25K tomorrow to get my endurance above like, zero.  I’m also going to try and get a soccer ball so I can practice between games. I don’t expect to play professionally (bahahaha, sorry just reading that makes me laugh) or anything but I know I could improve a lot if I just kicked a soccer ball around every day.

I’m really glad I joined this team. Not sure how glad they are that I joined but oh well. They need my warm body at least to be the second girl. For now? I’m cool with that.

*Yeah, who am I kidding? 7-1? That’s still a complete embarrassment.

What did I get myself into?

I mentioned before that a friend of mine asked me to join a soccer league with her. I said yes. My first practice is today and after running out to get my equipment I’m beginning to think I should file this under the what-was-I-thinking category.

At the Sox game last I got a coupon to Dick’s Sporting Goods. Normally that would have gone straight into the recycling bin but I needed soccer gear so off I went.

I can’t remember the last time I was in a sporting goods store. I think there was one at a mall I used to frequent and you had to walk through Dick’s to get to the rest of the mall. Actually being in one to buy something? I have no idea. Those places are massive! Since I’m clueless I immediately went to an associate and asked where soccer stuff was.

Over there in team sports.

Team sports, got it. I wandered through golf then running and managed to find the soccer section ok. I needed shin guards, socks and shorts. Hm, there’s a whole wall full of shin guards. Kids, small, medium or large…. How the heck do you know what size your shins are? Luckily I found someone to ask. He pointed me in a general direction of a measuring device.

Um, sure…. as I wander cluelessly in the direction he pointed.

I was looking for something like what you stick your feet in to measure shoes. Makes sense right? Nope, it was just a stick on the wall to tell you how tall you are. I stood against it and the guy said I was about 5’5″.

That puts you in a large.

Um, did he just call my shins fat? Whatever. Since I still had his attention I asked him about socks to wear under my shin guards.

You wear the socks over the shin guards.

::blush:: Haha, that could’ve been embarrassing.

He didn’t seem amused. What? Did they name Dick’s after the attitude their employees have. Geeze!

He went back to ignoring me while I looked through a rack of Adult soccer shorts. There were only two racks there, Kids and Adults but the smallest adult size was medium. I held it up to myself but it looked HUGE. So I asked if they had anything smaller.

Yea, those are men’s. Women’s are over there in soccer stuff.

I thought I was in soccer stuff. ::sigh:: And since when does Adult = Mens? Sexist.

I wandered to the other side of the store and finally managed to find the shorts.

Women’s shorts, which looks basically the same as the “men’s” shorts, they just come in smaller sizes.

So my trip to Dicks was a success, I think. I called my little sister to find out if there are any more dumb mistakes I could make… like putting my socks on under the shin guards instead of over. She laughed at me a little, but she was also nice and explained a couple rules I wasn’t sure about. I think I know what’s going on now. I think.

The whole Dick’s experience has made me even more nervous than I already was. My friend who invited me onto the team isn’t even going to be there tonight which doesn’t help my nerves either. Since I know no one else on the team.

If I make a giant fool out of myself at least it’ll make for a funny blog post, right?