06 January 2019

On the Pitch as a Player

After a quiet New Year's Eve and New Year's Day at home and some busy days at work, I very much looked forward to being at World Wide Technology Soccer Park (https://www.saintlouisfc.com/SOCCERPARK) for the annual soccer match between the St. Louligans (http://stlouligans.com/)--supporter group for Saint Louis FC (https://www.saintlouisfc.com/)--and the St. Louis Chapter of the American Outlaws (https://www.theamericanoutlaws.com/chapters/missouri)--a supporter group for US national teams.

Admission for all participants was in the form of food and personal care item donations, which will go to the St. Louis Area Foodbank (https://stlfoodbank.org/). In my case, I brought some toilet paper, protein bars, and a can of peaches. We went to one of the fields there for the match.

I was originally thinking of just watching this match, but this past week decided to play. So, I dressed the part, wearing a green St. Louligans supporter jersey. Quite a change of pace for someone who normally is on the pitch to referee a match. I got in a bit of warm up with the other players before the match began. All of us had plenty of refreshment, thanks for cans of beer donated by Urban Chestnut Brewing Company (http://urbanchestnut.com/).

The match was played in 30-minute halves, with free substitutions. I came in about midway in the first half and played about two minutes before asking to be replaced. I came on again late in that half, and ended up on my back trying to defend against an American Outlaws forward. Fortunately, I wasn't really hurt and I got back up and into the match.

I played two shifts in the second half, but in the entire match, I did not get one touch of the ball. Maybe that was a good thing. I was happy at the final whistle as St. Louligans won the match, 3-2. We were all a tired, but happy bunch of players who posed for pictures after the match. It was a lot of fun, nobody was hurt, and some hungry people in Metro St. Louis will get help.



(Team pictures courtesy of St. Louligans.)


I then went to the refreshment stand for lunch. I had a bratwurst, then had turkey chili. I had drunk three cans of beer, and it showed. I took it easy before going home, which I made safely.

Later.

No comments: