Football

Yesterday after work, some people from the office played soccer against folks from the architecture office that's a floor above ours.

I signed up, expecting a friendly game at Trinity Bellwoods or something. The next thing I knew, I was given a black Umbro team shirt, and told that we were playing here.

The guys from upstairs seemed kinda shocked when we didn't all show up wearing cleats and shin guards, and that our goalie didn't have gloves... and I couldn't help overhearing conversation about where and when there next game was...

Needless to say, we kinda got schooled - although not as badly as I suspected we might be. I learned that my soccer skills are pretty weak - turns out if you don't play for, like, 20 years - you lose most of whatever ability you had (which probably wasn't all that much anyway - 'cause you were 10!) By the second half though, things were getting better - the mostly forgotten soccer area of my brain was starting to wake up (even though my body was perhaps still a little behind.)

Another thing I learned is that, even with the occasional subbing out for breaks on the sidelines, a full-on 90 minute game on a full-on official size field is absolutely killer. In the last few minutes I was fighting off cramps in my calf muscles (and then had to bike home, too!)

Unfortunately, one guy fell during the game and landed nastily. He ended up going to the hospital, 'cause his collarbone was, um, definitely not in a normal position anymore. It sucked - I was talking to him while people were off getting the security folks and looking for someone with a car - and I had no idea what to do or say to help. I haven't heard if it was broken, or just out of place...