CLIMBING A MOUNTAIN

Somedays you feel like you've climbed one don't ya? Today I do. I play football on the weekends (the soccer version for those Aussies reading this), I'm the goal keeper for my team. A position thrust upon me many years ago when nobody else would put their hand up at a high school match. I fought against it for the next 5 or so years but eventually I realised that as an outfield player my skills were somewhat limited and that I was better suited between the posts than attacking them.

I've had good games, even great games, but I've also had my share of crap games. I'm like every other amateur sportsman out there. I try my guts out almost every game and sometimes I get rewarded, others I get squat. Today I played a game and I really didn't get an opportunity to try my guts out, as soon after kick off I found myself arse up and face down in the dirt. My left arm jammed into my ribs and my left shoulder snapped upwards into my head. Fuck it hurt!!

I'm not sure my team mates realised just how much it hurt at the time - bastards - but I dragged my carcass upright and soldiered on. I soon realised that the mind was willing but my body was not. I could no longer raise my left arm above shoulder height. Now as a goal keeper it is essential to have the full use of both arms if you wish to be an effective keeper.

The final score of, 1 goal to us and 12 goals to them displays my level of influence on the game :o( In almost 20 odd years of goal keeping I have never conceded 11 goals in a match, there was a 10 goal game about 5 years ago, but I guess if I averaged out my career it would be 2 a game. But today was bad. Bad also because we only started with 10 men, 1 short of a full team. Then with my injury we were effectively 9 men against 11 for 98% of the game.

I should have come off when it happened but you want to help your team mates out, so you stick it out. Although in the change rooms after the match, when I announced I was off to the hospital to get my shoulder checked out, one of our midfielders looked stunned and said "are you injured?" I stared at him blankly and offered no reply as I left the room. Obviously he thought I was just playing crap the whole game.

I think it might be time to hang up my boots!