Wednesday Night Soccer

One of the best parts about being home is getting to play Wednesday night soccer. Until about a week ago I had forgotten just how much I used to look forward to it. It's kind of one of those things that you know in your mind, and your memory is clear about how much you enjoy it, but you just really don't fully remember until you become immersed again in the activity and become fully wrapped up in it.

I don't know what the equivalent is for women, but hopefully there is something that they can enjoy together as much as guys enjoy playing sports together. Last night I totally got nailed in the face with an elbow, and granted, some guys let that set them off, but when it happened to me, I just shrugged it off, knew that I was in his space, and didn't even let my bleeding lip or watering eyes break my gait. What other activities can you have such a blatant display of aggression, and suffer no ill effects from?

It's awesome because of all the obvious exercise benefits, but what I love about soccer as opposed to running or any other typical work out is that I can get completely lost in the game. It doesn't matter what else is going on in my life - all that matters is what's happening in the moment and what I have to do to win.

We play indoors, in a carpeted room in the stake center. It's 4 v 4, with two little wastebins setup and the first team to two goals wins and the losing team has to sit. We have a minimum of 10 guys, with as many as 25 or so in the summer months. Sometimes the wait with that many people becomes excruciating so competitive fires become even more fierce as the incentive to win becomes heightened.

I love watching my best friend play. He's just an incredibly creative player. He regularly makes plays happen that guys are lucky to have once or twice in an evening. I love that all my close guy friends play. There is some talking that goes on in the beginning, and then when you're on the stage, but for the most part you become lost in the flow of the game, even when you're not playing. You're always just itching to get back on. At least I am, anyway. I love that I can keep up with the high school kids that sometimes come because it means that I am in pretty good shape, and that I haven't lost much quickness. It's unbelievable how much quickness you lose from late teens to late twenties. I love that while I'm not always the most skilled player out there, I'm always one of the hardest working. I don't put my head down when I miss a pass, and I don't pout about fouls. I love being tough, and not asking for play to stop if I get in the face with an elbow, for instance. I don't know how so many soccer players are okay with being so delicate. I understand it's to get calls a lot of times, but there's a lot to be said for being intimidating, too. Toughness=manly, and manly=badass, a lot of times. Know what I mean? And it's nice to think sometimes, I'm a bad man.

I think all guys need that outlet. For some it's playing videogames together, and for others it's playing sports. I hope girls have that too. It's totally what I plan my week around. I just love it to death. Love the camarederie, the competition, all of it.