Sunday, October 1

Change of Seasons

Well this past week marked a change in seasons here...the change from outdoor to indoor soccer. Yes, as I'm sure some of you haven't heard Joy and I have been playing soccer on in a K-W co-ed league since about July. It started with Joy playing for Carolyn while she was in China for work, but she continued to play afterwards since the team was often short on women. After a couple weeks of watching from the sidelines I was persuaded into playing also. It was rough at first--I can't say that I've played soccer since I was a kid...and then only during gym when necessary--but over the coming weeks I have gotten more used to the extended running.

One of the major hurdles was the realization I really didn't know how to run properly. Whatever technique, or lack there of, I was using was resulting in extremely sore calves and shins. As of a few weeks ago I believe I have corrected my technique resulting in the ability to actually run down the field without losing ground to the opposition or my team-mates. Note that I did find this soccer thing fun even before learning to run.

So back to where this post started; last Friday marked the final game of the outdoor season. I can't say we ended on a high mark...we were short a fair number of folks resulting in us being shorthanded by one person on the field (and of course no substitutes) against a team with about 5 substitutes. Even with those odds against us we put up a valiant fight resulting in a 5-1 loss with two near-goals (off the inside post and trickling along the crease)...one by myself. :)

As for the new season, last Wednesday was the first "game" of the indoor league. I say "game" since it was really supposed to be a meet & great for the teams, but we ended up playing a game against the other team doing the same thing. The indoor league is a 7/side co-ed league hosted in the University of Guelph Gryphon Dome. Due to the change of venues Joy and I had the pleasure of buying some indoor soccer shoes, since the plain runners definitely don't do the job.

Well that is some of the latest news. I know I've been lazy with posts...but you can cross your fingers. ;)

P.S. All the photos are not yet centralized...still have some of the latest photos on my work laptop. :(

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Soccer is great, good for you guys! I've always wondered what indoor soccer was like-other than never being called for lightning ;) Do you find it hard on your knees-running on hard floors? I know there are other sports that have you running indoors, but maybe not as intensively as soccer(unless you're playing goal of course). What positions do you and Joy play? Sounds like you play forward? Again, good for you two!

Ryan said...

There is another league which is only 5/side (including keeper), which is also played as two fields across the one we play indoor on. With the relatively hard floor it makes it hard for the ball to die down and have full controller over it. Also, it is harder to carry the ball up the field due to the fact it rolls easier (not as much friction) and there just seems to be so many people on the field.

Typically I have been playing mid-right or forward-right, and Joy usually plays defence or mid-field.

George said...

I'm so glad that you guys are still playing soccer and enjoying it. I can't wait to start playing again in January. But this sounds like a different league than Carolyn and I played in last year...

Ryan said...

It is indeed a different league. Olias was tardy and we missed the registration for the typical indoor league.

Currently our indoor league runs through to the end of the year (it is the first season which they have run an adult indoor leauge). Hopefully they will continue in the new year. If not, there is always spring outdoor.