If feels like soccer never ends for us here in a state where it's really only warm enough to be outside in shorts half of the year. We went straight from school and travel soccer to indoor and are now starting spring soccer. Suckers for punishment? Maybe, but it's all good.
Last weekend we participated in March Madness held by Global Premier Soccer. It seems early but it always seems to correspond with the time change for some reason. This year our schedule was pretty simple - be in Lancaster/Leominster around 11 am Saturday then Medham for 5 pm. The following day be in Ashland in the afternoon. We have reasons to not spend the night in a hotel, to include the fact that I have two dogs that like to sound the alarm at any noise. I'm sure we would be sleeping in the truck the first time that happened.
Driving is always interesting, me in my big truck on the Mass highways should be enough to scare anyone. Saturday went very well but Sunday was "Ride your brakes on the 495" day and I didn't get the memo.
The fields are all turf and are plowed/snowplowed/shoveled. The snowbanks behind the players and parents emit frigid temps the entire time. The wind is brutal but when the sun is out it 'feels' warm. The boys are allowed undershirts, hats, gloves and tights/leggings during play but for the most part they just go with shorts and short sleeves. The parents are lined up along the field wearing hats, gloves, snowsuits, parkas and boots and are wrapped up in blankets or sleeping bags or whatever else they can get into. You can always tell the new parents because they come with no hats, pretty gloves, hair coiffed and light shoes. They typically end up in the car with the heat blasting before halftime.
The boys won two of their three scheduled games (7-0 & 3-1) which was great considering this is a practically new team. They are fast and strong and once they learn to trust each other a little more they will be a force to contend with.
I honestly can't wait to watch these guys grow closer together.
Getting ready to cross the Piscataqua river in Portsmouth, NH
Overlooking Progin Park, Lancaster MA - the banking separating the fields was easily 8' high
This was our field at Progin Park - parents looking directly into the sun AND wind
Monsters mid-game trying to get snow in the truck
Dude was smoking. I mean, seriously? You can't wait? Drive off campus? And he was a coach too.
The sun sets overlooking the Gordon College athletic fields - Medham MA
Gordon College - the banks here were about 4' high... brrr
But on the ends? They were more like 6' high
Under the lights!
Ashland High School, MA - it was interesting to see the snow amounts and how they ranged from town to town. Here the banks were 2 1/2 - 3' high.
It looks nice and sunny but man - the wind was brutal.
Come with me now! Maine to Leominster to Gloucester to Medham in 35 seconds!
Comments
Post a Comment