Season Coaching 4 Teams Ends Cold But Warm

For just a single season I've been able to glimpse the true insanity with which my older brother lived many years while coaching his 4 sons' soccer teams. These last few months I've spread myself a little thin and coached all 4 of my kids' teams, though under different pressures from my brother. All 4 of my teams are recreational teams which means limited travel (radius of about 30 miles of which we're the center point). I'm a board member which translates into having great control over when and where we play, including practices. I'm not totally insane on the game though some would beg to differ on that statement.



Regardless, the season is now over, the fields are shut down for the next 2 months and it's time to relax a bit and prepare for the Spring season. We elected to not run indoor with the kids' teams and just scale back and enjoy the holidays. So 2 weekends ago we celebrated the conclusion of the season with what seemed like a wintry ending to a normally warm season.



Despite the apparent cold, my morning ended with warm hugs and cheers as L's team completed their first season and were rewarded with trophies, a serious thing for such gigglers. It was a great start to the blustery day and a great ending to a fun season.

Gearing Up for Fall Season

It's amazing how quickly the summer flies by, especially when you're not involved continuously with grooming teams, working practices and skills and constantly out on the fields for games and monitoring. With little more than Board meetings to attend, my summer has been virtually soccer free.

That's gonna change here soon. With just over 2 weeks left of July, soccer practices will be starting with a vengeance. I have so much to accomplish in so little time. I check my building rosters this morning and to my disappointment very few have returned. This was expected of my oldest team and while disappointing, I've come to terms with it. The surprise was on the other 3 teams (yes, I'll be coaching 4 teams).

So it's time to beginning the solicitations and beefing up of the teams before I have to scramble just before the season starts.

Let the near insanity begin!

Knee Injury Impetus for Temporary Retirement

Yep, you correctly read the title. I'm going into a temporary retirement. What exactly is a temporary retirement? Well, it's more like an indefinite hiatus. I reserve the right to return to the game but may not do so immediately.

Why would I give up playing a sport that I love, look forward to each day, and actively participate with my own kids? That's a hard question to answer. The bottom line is this. I'm old and am prone to injuries. OK, I admitted it, finally. Well, I'm not that old and there are certainly other players on my team and in the league that are certainly older. But honestly, I don't like pain and love being healthy. When I'm healthy, I feel uninhibited. Today, inhibition is all I feel.

Yesterday I saw my ortho and while I did sustain a contusion on the upper tibia and a tear on the the lateral meniscus, he said I should be playing in another season, if I chose to. Well, at this time, my choice is to sit it out and enjoy life in other ways.

What does this mean for the blog? Nothing. I'll still write about my kids and their adventures in soccer. I'll still write about FC Dallas games I get to attend. I'll still write about serving on the KSA board. But I'll be fairly silent as to my own adventures in soccer. And quite honestly, it makes me a bit sad to think about giving it up.

That said, here's to an early retirement. Anyone want to take a guess as to how long it will last?

Barefoot Soccer @ Party Yields Sprained Foot

As I'm not in the health industry, I'm sure someone will correct my self-diagnosis as impossible or unlikely but I'll throw it out here regardless and wait for the clever retorts.

In celebration of an undefeated season, including end-of-season tournament, my oldest son's team got together at a neighborhood pool with an enticing soccer field adjacent to the pool. I knew I'd be playing and brought my gear along for the occasion. The players were having a great time in the pool and after they had their share of pizza I suggested playing over on the field.

As some didn't bring proper shoes for playing, I made the brilliant suggestion that we play barefooted so as to not crunch anyone's toes. This turned out to be my fatal flaw as my ankles and feet apparently aren't as stable without my shoes.

On the first play I touched the ball, my ankle rolled and I felt something pop and give in the upper potion of my foot, below the ankle and slightly off-center on the top of the foot. I limped for a few minutes and felt it starting to give way to pain but did that send off red flags in my stubborn head other than to slow me down a bit? No. I kept on playing and enjoyed my time with my kids and players.

The ride home was filled with embarrassment as I tried to logically explain to my wife my inner drive and ambition to have fun regardless of the pain. She thinks I'm a bit foolish. Of course at the time I was boasting of a broken bone which really sounds much more serious.

2 full days later, the top of my foot is slightly swollen and I can tell it will color into a nice brown/yellow bruise. My ankle is a bit soar up through my outer calf and stretching the tissue on the top of the foot is still tender. Walking is somewhat painful but the more I do it the better it feels. Yesterday's church services, while long, were actually tolerable (meaning the pain in the foot not the services or religious presenters ;) ).

So the question I keep asking myself is this: Will I be ready to play in Wed night's final season match up against the #2 team and will I contribute to our team's victory, sealing #1, or be a hindrance? The next 2 days will tell. Until then, ibuprofen, ice and elevation are my friends.