A reminder of past glory

A long time ago I was quite the fledgling athlete. I loved to just grab a soccerball and kick it against a wall, which then developed to bringing it to tutor where I would hone my skills during the break by playing street soccer on concrete and makeshift goals, sometimes giving blood and scraped knees to the cause. I played for my local team and put in the hours day in day out. Then I suddenly stopped because this thing called highschool started becoming relatively important, and I gradually declined into a state of laze.

There was then brief moments whereby I was active again, most recently at the beginning of the year when I decided to take up long distance running after a long absence from any sort of cardio work. It went well, then this thing called HSC Trials and HSC became life, so it stopped me from doing 4 minute kilometres.

Other events like just casual/representative school sport took a hit on my confidence as I had been out of the game for a long time and I did not play very well and nerves were holding me back, etc. Disappointment came in the form of losing winnable matches and squandering easy chances at goals. Needless to say, I was very disheartened and unmotivated to continue my athletic pursuits.

However, today I decided to give things another chance and I braved the 32+ degree heat and sun to go down to Cabramatta Sportsground to play a game of football (soccer) against a team comprised of people from Pal College with my team of a ragtag bunch from a number of schools. I only knew one guy there, but soon got to acquaint the others. We were quite the motley crue, but we meshed well together during the game.

We are really unfit. After only five minutes of gameplay, the guys called for a timeout which lasted fifteen. But after a while we adjusted to the heat and started playing a lot better. Actually, the Pal team was pretty average. I am used to highly physical and aggressive games, but this match was pretty chill, only occasionally did I really need to sprint all out. Had some good touches and passes, but I didn't really like the ball, much too padded.

Then came my moment of brilliance. It is one of those things that will replay in my head for the next couple of days because it felt so deja vu. I received the ball about 30m out from goal. I turned and beat an opposing player, then another player lunged in for the slide tackle. Once he was down, I chipped the ball over him about knee height, just to get it over him. Taking a quick glance at goal, my mind probably subconsciously noted that the goalie was off his line because the next moment my foot had already come into contact with the ball and I watched it go up and start dipping gently, centimetres over the goalie's outstretched hand. Then the ball went into the goal. Everybody lost their shit and I outstretched jesus posed my arms as my team mates started coming up to me for handshakes and whatnot. Gonna repeat in my head, in slow-mo, over and over.

We were rather disorganised in our defensive strategy though, leaving one player as sweeper and the rest of us lurking around midfield and attack waiting to receive the ball. Scoreline is forgettable, Pal sure take it seriously though. Overall good day, looking forward to the next time we play.

On the way home, bought a 1.25L bottle of coke and drank most of it..good work Minh. Also got rained on, plastic bag over head for the win.

I think I am gonna be sick, less than two days out from formal.