May 31, 2009 (since it is showing my American time zone and I don't feel like fiddling with it now)
So Saturday morning I was told that I would be cleared to play in the game that afternoon. I really didn't expect to start or anything. I haven't played 90 minutes in forever. Yeah in adult league games but I was playing sweeper at the time and there isn't much work to do playing sweeper in an adult league setting. So I got to our locker room and found out that indeed I was starting and the manager told me I was going to be going up for corner kicks. This was a big shock for me because I never really went up for corner kicks. I was never asked to go up for corner kicks during my college days and all. Greg Walters also got the start too in goal and after the team talk we headed to Onehunga Mangere which was about 15 minutes long.
When we got to the park, they told me that you are basically on top of a volcano or close to it. I mean me living in the eastern part of the United States, I haven't really seen that many volcanoes. However they showed me where the volcano was and it was basically right beside the field we were playing at. If there happened to be a volcano, we would all be doomed haha. So I took my position as center back and the game started. I knew we had a pretty talented team but it took me until I saw them playing in a real game to figure this out. We have very good technical players on our team, we ping it around one and two touch around the field. We at least try to play good football. So we got our first corner kick probably five minutes in and I take my position going up forward and trying to get a head on it. I was told to make a run directly to the near post and see what happens. So I made the run and the ball went directly to my head and I just guided it in for my first real competitive goal since probably PDL after my freshman year of college. I didn't really know what to do, I felt like I did something wrong it was quite weird but I enjoyed the feeling.
We won 3-2 and I got man of the match for the day. I assume it was probably because I somehow scored the goal and plus I'm a newbie but I was kinda upset about giving up the two goals. They were both soft goals that we could have avoided. However Greg made a pretty good save on a penalty kick earlier on when the game was 3-0. I thought I played alright for my first game here. It was kind of like a rugby style gameplan for the other team who tried to use any dirty cheap trick in the book to frustrate us which indeed worked for the latter part of the first goal and they got their two cheap goals. We dominated for the majority of the second half and rocked the post a couple of times. We should have probably won with a 5-0 scoreline but I think it was a good victory on the road against the second-place team (at the time).
Afterwards, my centerback partner, Hugo Littlejohn was celebrating his 21st birthday and of course we were all invited to it. It was kind of a weird celebration, It seemed to me more like a graduation celebration more than a birthday celebration. You know back in the States when you celebrate your 21st you try to get as much wasted as humanly possible and hopefully your parents won't ever find out about it. This one, his parents were there, his godparents were there. Almost everyone in his family and of course his friends were helping celebrate. Towards the end, they were kind of having a comedic roast in which his family and friends were talking about all the embarrassing things that he's done in his life. It was quite funny. And I know by the end of it I knew he had a good time. I just wonder if he's going to play on Monday.
I won't be able to play because it is a Cup game and the rules state that I have to play in two league games before I can play in a Cup tie so I basically have the day off tomorrow. I will probably do some necessary fitness for next weekend's match and get myself ready to play 90 more minutes since I was somewhat dying down yesterday. I mean I'm in good shape, just not match fitness yet which will come over the next couple of weeks.
I'm feeling more and more comfortable with my surroundings. The people here are great which is definitely helping me avoid being homesick, even though it's only been a week and all. Most all the people I met have been very nice to me. All I need now is to get my work visa settled so I can start finding jobs and getting some money! Wooo
Which we all know money makes the world go round.....
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