soccer stuff

I went to a fun soccer clinic last night. I didn't wear shin guards for the little pick-up game at the end, because it was complete beginners. They play so strangely. They take it really seriously, while ignoring all of the rules, making up their own rules, and being very serious about others abiding by their imaginary rules. They all have something to prove, even if they are proving they really don't know what they're doing.

The ones who are worst, tend to be the ones making additional rules, or instructing others on how to play.

This really nice girl said she just wanted to give up because she was horrible -- but she was actually doing just fine. She only thought that because of the few really terrible players who kept yelling at her to not to do this, and to do that.

One girl stood in the tiny "goal" and we don't use goalies because the thing is 3 feet wide. Then she yelled at the organizer "we need a goalkeeper baby!! If you're not going to do it, I will!"

Then she did other odd things like almost throwing the ball in, then almost kicking it in, and then finally, just dropping the ball in front of herself and dribbling it. huh??

Another time she was attempting to kick it in, and stopped the whole game to clarify what my name was, which took a long time as she was pointing in the dark at a group of us. "Me?" "no." "Me?" "no." "Me?" Yeah! you!"

By then the whole other team was surrounding me, so good luck passing to me now! Uh yeah. Bizarre.

And then this smaller girl who was like some sort of attack dog and didn't seem to realize you can't just throw yourself onto the other team as "defense."

But, it was still fun to play, and also to just stare in awe at "what are these people doing??!" And we got to learn how to juggle the ball. So far I could only get it 2-3 times per foot, but that's still more than I've ever gotten before! He explained it very well.

Today I noticed I actually had a line of dried blood all over my ankle. I guess I'd gotten a small cut last night and I hadn't even noticed it'd dripped down. I guess I should wear socks/shin guards even w/ the beginners -- maybe especially because they are beginners.