life after soccer

[rone]

I played my last organized soccer game yesterday (assuming i don't pull a Favre in six months).  Many have asked why i'm retiring.  There are a few reasons:

• About six or seven months ago, i landed hard on my right knee and that turned out to be what was likely a meniscus tear.  Given that this only bothered me when i kneeled, i only skipped a couple of games before getting back to it; playing was occasionally quite painful but not the "shit, i should stop right now" sort of pain.  The structural pain subsided eventually but the surrounding muscles are still a mess, stressing the joint in sporadically unexpected ways.  My right shoulder has also been giving me shit, with some rotator cuff issues that limit my range of motion.
• I had also started playing outdoor soccer in November and in our second or third game, the other team started a fight and their "fans" came onto the field, looking for trouble.  That one really sucked the joy out of the game for me.
• I've been paying the team fees for nearly five years and having people just walk away from the team without letting me know, requiring finding a replacement (or just absorbing the expense), was getting old (as well as dunning my teammates).

Until recently, the game was fun no matter the injuries or the lost money.  But once i recognized that the fun was gone, then everything else got bigger.  I've been playing at Off the Wall for over 8.5 years, and with my current team for nearly 7 years (although only one other guy remained from that original team).  That's plenty.  I had a tough time making my peace with it, but for the last month i've been looking forward to it being over.  And yet i kinda felt like crying as i drove home last night.  Today, though, my knee is bugging me.  So i think i'll be fine with retiring.

Comments

life after soccer

[(Anonymous)]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HzqoNZMlNo

Good for you for recognizing when the thrill is gone. (And hey, pickup games can be fun, without the wear and tear on body and wallet.)

it is tough

[(Anonymous)]

I agree with your early retirement from the game, but I back you up all the way. I think is very smart of you, even though it is sad. I love you, big hug and kiss, mom

[canetoad.livejournal.com]

Here's a big hug from the east coast. Transitions, even when they make perfect sense, can be difficult.

[peglegpete.livejournal.com]

Moving on is hard, especially when there is a large body of history behind you filled with good things, but I'm glad you're able to leave on your own terms and by your own choice. And I hope you find something even better and more enjoyable next.

[asienieizi.livejournal.com]

Wise decision, overall. Sad, yes, but you need those knees to take you through the rest of your life.

[foomf.livejournal.com]

Just be sure to find something else to keep your physical activity high. Preferably something that will help your knee repair itself.

alternative activity

[(Anonymous)]

This may seem a little hippy-dippy after soccer, but have you considered Ultimate frisbee? In theory it's a non-contact sport (and in practice, largely, yeah), lots of running, cutting, up and down - great cardio workout, and relatively easy on the knees (a little hard on the ankles, with all the cutting). And where you live there must be approximately one zillion regular pickup games, not to mention age-specific leagues.... I picked the game up in the last couple of years, now play regularly, and it's a ton of fun. Worth thinking about.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Ultimate has sounded appealing to me before. I'll keep it in mind, thanks.

[foomf.livejournal.com]

Be advised that it can be JUST as much running and twisting as soccer. I love it, I played it as long as I could, but being built more like a tank than a motorcycle, it destroyed my shins, ankles, and knees. And that was before Intel made me fatter.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

As a goalie, the problem i had was less running and more diving and sliding onto a tough artificial turf field and into oncoming forwards. But thanks for the heads-up.

[foomf.livejournal.com]

Ultimate is a non-contact sport. Except for the ground; you may find yourself in contact with the ground if you get to exuberant.

There is lunging side-to-side in some of the movements. I suggest looking at a few videos of games. It's extremely fun if not taken too seriously.

Many people I played with self-medicated in order to not take it too seriously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAyEti-_lR8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhUays2ehyI

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Yeah, i've seen it played. I might have a problem with being unable to take it at less than 100% (not that i get cranky about the game, it's just that i always play all-out). Self-medicating is probably good way to get hurt, though.

[foomf.livejournal.com]

I recall the guy who came down one week in 1988 ... we had summer league at the park in Tigard down below the high school on the river.

The ground was like concrete with tough sedge grass growing on it.

This guy was about 30, 5'8", maybe 125# of bone, muscle, and skin. That's it. If he had internal organs other than lungs they didn't show. He was hyperactive in the way that only cocaine and genetics can cause. He was literally vibrating. He got together with two of the Funhogs (Portland's local team, where he'd been a member in their group house for a while before he moved to Seattle for work) and they did something that created a huge waft of deeply spiced oregano-and-old-shoes scented smoke. He calmed down a bit.

Then he hucked the frisbee down field, dropped to all fours like a lizard, stuck his tongue out two or three times scenting the wind, and when the frisbee was starting to drop, he leaped to his feet, ran downfield the full length, jumped up and swatted it away from the guy who was positioned as receiver, and that guy was a good jumper himself.

I figured, "Fine. If I play against him, he gets to deal with MY inertia because I'm not going to react that fast against a cyborg."

I was, in a later match, able to fake him out twice with frisbee trick throws... but only twice.

[2wanda.livejournal.com]

I love you, and I'm proud of you, but I'm glad that I will no longer see you come home every Thursday night with new bruises. *besos*

off topic

[inflectionpoint.livejournal.com]

This is Joanne, we met at dinner for Samus' new job!

And sorry to hear about quitting soccer. My partner's work soccer team was also plagued by flakiness. He is lobolance, on LJ.

maybe come climbing instead?

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Hi! I've climbed a couple of times but it didn't grab me. In any case, i'll wait until i heal up before i try anything else.