Soccer Update

When people like soccer, they do two things: play it and watch it. The other day, my brother and father were going to watch a soccer game of two teams from Argentina. As the game was going to start, there was a big introduction about what the game was going to be like. I was bored of hearing the teams’ players so I went away. As I was in my computer, I heard a big scream of excitement. A goal had been scored and the stadium looked amazing. It was huge and filled completely by bobbing heads with uniformed shirts. Since one of the teams had the same shirt as most of the audience, I assumed they were fans. In the background, a loud and constant roar of millions of people filled the stadium and the echo of the word “gol” lingered in the sound. Gol means goal in Spanish. My brother was excited and had a big smile from ear to ear as my father had a disappointed look. Apparently, they were supporting different teams. In the screen, the goal was being repeated and it was amazing. Two players took the ball from the half of the field and passed it back and forth. They got to the goal and one of the players centered it to another right in front of the goal. The player in front headed it and another player kicked it in. They had the goalie fooled and they made an excellent example of teamwork. When you see soccer games, you can notice different techniques and styles for managing the ball. Some players just run with the ball as fast as they can and try to score but their technique is not very effective. Other players learn to pass the ball and fool the opposing players providing them more effectiveness. I’ve learned that watching soccer games is very helpful for your improvement although I should follow my own example because I don’t like watching soccer games. Many people, mostly men, take these games and tournaments very seriously. It’s like a soap opera for men because they don’t miss a game. It’s very fun to see people watch games because they get involved in the game like they were the ones playing. It is very funny and entertaining. 

• Leave a comment... (0)

A few weeks ago, I went to my brother’s soccer game. It wasn’t with the school team but with a separate soccer school called A.C. Milan. This school gives very talented players the chance to get noticed. Every year, this team goes to a city in Europe to compete and scouts from major teams come to find new talents. These scouts go to the school and choose a player to take to Europe and play. I actually met one of the players that was taken to play for a year. He was normal and down to Earth but also very talented. Anyways, this school gives many chances and that’s why my brother plays there. As I told you before, I went to see one of the games. The soccer field was normal sized and the players seemed a little bit older than 15. They looked professional and prepared unlike my brother. I’ve heard him say that in the school games he shines but in these games he’s unnoticeable. These players looked tough and ready to do whatever to take the ball. As I saw them play, I realized that I suck at playing soccer. Whenever they took the ball it looked like they didn’t even know the had the ball and they glided through the field. Whenever I take the ball, I look at it while I’m running. These players didn’t have to look at it. They knew it was there and they are so used to having it, they don’t have to concentrate on taking it but on getting through the field with it. It was amazing how they looked like they had been playing soccer for they’re whole lives. For them, soccer is a lifestyle not a sport. As I watched the players from both teams, I realized that it all takes practice. Even if you know all the theories, it all takes practice to be productive. This practice requires some sacrifice as I notice in all good players. Practice is also very useful because all players need a very good resistance to be able to play through the whole game. Our school games are very patronizing because they only last 60 minutes while professional games last 90 minutes. The games of A.C. Milan do last 90 minutes and that’s why it’s so very tiring. In my brother’s case, he can only play for half the game because he doesn’t have as much resistance as the rest of the players. When I watched the players play every minute until the game ended, they never stopped giving they’re best during the whole game. Even though they were tired, when they got the ball they would run as fast as possible with the ball. The two goals that they scored were amazing and were scored with so much style and perfectness. Watching the game was wonderful and I’m sure I am going to go watch one again.

• Leave a comment... (0)

A few days ago, we all had a school trip to Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica. The second day we were there, we went to the beach but we weren’t allowed to get in the water which I think is ridiculous because there wasn’t any thunder and it was barely raining. After a while of taking pictures with my friends, I got bored of the same pictures and looked for something else to do. One one side of the beach, a bunch of boys were playing American Football but I wasn’t interested in playing that because they all become savages when they start playing. On the other side of the beach, there were some boys playing soccer. At first I was worried to go play with them because there were many dangerous rocks on the sides and I wasn’t sure if they would let me play. Then I noticed that Diana was playing soccer with them so I went to ask her how everything was. She told that I should play because it was very fun and the boys were not like the boys playing football. I asked  Ariel if I could play because he was the first one I saw and he said it was okay. I started a little shy because I wasn’t used to my team but after a while, I got used to it. I looked for the ball the whole time and when I got it, I tried to dribble with it as long as I could. Every once in a while I would hit a small rock and get hurt but I got over it quickly. There was one moment when I was close to the goal and I shot at the goal. I think I made a goal but I’m not sure because we went back to playing. There was one inconvenience throughout the game though. Every once in a while, a big wave would reach the area where we were playing and the ball was hard to control. It would float and go back to the beach along with the water. Luckily, it never got past the shore so it never got lost. Besides that, there where no other inconveniences until something very hurtful happened. One of the players, Brandon, was running with the ball and he hit his foot with a big, pointy rock. He cut his foot pretty bad because he was bleeding very bad. He stopped playing and after that, other people stopped, too, and the game ended. A few minutes later, we had to go back to the hotel. I enjoyed the game a lot because I had not played soccer like that in a long time. 

• Leave a comment... (1)