The Lady in the Soccer Suit: #3 (Part 1)

Have you ever watched a Disney movie with the last goal of a game goes in to win it at the last second? Or a fast pitch closes the game to win the pennant? I call those Disney moments. In real life one doesn’t see it often, but they are out there to witness when we are there at the right time.

Several years ago I refereed in the center position of a U14 Boys soccer match. My AR’s (Assistant Referees) were a father and son duo that were fairly new to officiating soccer. They actually were great even as the match got more and more intense by the minute.

For U14’s, the match has 35 minute halves with a 5 minute rest in between. The home team was playing a different county team that the coach only spoke in Spanish. I took it that most of, if not all, his players understood every word he was saying during the game as well as his instruction while on the field. 

Once I blew the first whistle to start, It did not take too long for the home team to start racking up goals. The local coach was happy that his players were following his instructions and sat down on his chair once he took a commanding lead. It looked like his coaching had paid off. The score was 5-0 at halftime.

Undaunted, the opposing coach with the severe deficit in scoring did not even flinch. The teams came back onto the field for the second half ready to play and have fun. Interestingly, the keeper for the home team was way out of his goal area and close to the half line. Apparently, he thought the opposing team would never cross the middle of the field. While watching the home team keeper, the opposing coach started taking chances and began to instruct his players to kick the ball from anywhere on the field towards the goal. I saw kicks from the 50 yard line, all the way to the 6 yard line or whenever they had a chance to run toward their end of the field/goal area.

This is where the fun began…

TBC

BSoleille!

Terri

Olivia in 2008 - Now that is focus!!