Take the Plunge
Laura Jacobsma

I was enjoying my lunch at school plus having a nice conversation with one of my colleagues about his soccer team. I told him how I used to play soccer, about some of the soccer games I had played, along with bragging a little about how well I played. In the next couple of days he asked if I would like to join his team and I said yes. I was nervous because it had been seven years since I had played on any soccer team much less kick a ball. I also knew that my body wouldnít heal as fast.

After I said yes, I found out that I was actually signed up for two different soccer teams ñ indoor and outdoor. How this all happened I do not know, but there was no backing out. This meant that I would be playing sixteen games over the next eight weeks! I was looking forward to the challenges that were ahead.

My first game had consisted of my children and husband sitting on the sidelines cheering me on while I missed the ball almost every time. I can still hear my five-year-old shouting, ìLook my mommy is getting the ball! Ahhh, mommy missed the ball.î There is nothing more humbling than your child giving you a play by play on how bad you are doing. Actually I couldnít help but laugh. I was a pretty pathetic soccer player in the first game. My brain knew what it wanted to do, but my body was not going to respond. This agony lasted for one and a half hours.

As I left that first game, I felt like the team would not be willing to ask me back. I was embarrassed in addition to feeling frustrated at the fact that I could not will my body to do what I wanted it to. I was slow, tired, and could not get to the ball. My husband tried to tell me that my soccer skills would come back with time. This was a Thursday night; moreover I had only a few days to prepare myself mentally and physically for the next game.

Fortunately, the next game was an indoor game. This is a much smaller field plus the ball often comes to you without a lot of running. The games are also only one hour. I touched the ball several times, along with several successful passes.

The most recent game that I have played was indoors. I was concerned about my ability to play as well as I did, because my legs were tight and tired from the previous games. In this game I played hard, which helped to build my confidence even more. This team was slightly rougher than the last, which made it harder for me to keep my concentration on the task at hand. At one point, the ball was rolling along the wall so I ran after it. A girl from the other team did the same thing. Not wanting to give up easily, I just kept kicking while leaning on the wall for balance. The referee blew his whistle and said, ìYou are out of control.î I thought those were really strong words considering getting the ball away from another player is what the game is about. Nonetheless, if I am having the whistle blown on me because I am kicking the ball, this is a good sign to me since just a week ago I couldnít kick the ball to save my life.

Luckily, I am still remembering how to play this wonderful game. My body is starting to cooperate with my brain by stopping long enough to get control of the ball before I kick it up the field. Obviously I am still being reminded of the many rules that come with playing indoor and outdoor soccer. I am also starting to enjoy myself a lot more. To me, that is the main reason for subjecting myself to all of the aches and pains in my body in addition to my ego. It has also been a great way to get back into shape along with having my family there to cheer me on. I already know that by the end of this experience I will sign up again for the indoor soccer, although it might take a little more convincing for the outdoor soccer.

In the end, maybe my husband was right when he said I just need a little more time to regain the soccer skills I once had. Even if I donít, I am still having a great time taking on my new challenge.