Random Facts #1
tonight is hockey night. i wouldn't expect many of you to know that, but it is. it hasn't always been, but i got moved up with the big boys a few years ago. not that i belong there mind you -- many of these guys played collegiate or juniors. some of the younger ones may very well be on their way in the next year.
despite being more of a moving pylon out there -- ok, i had like 2g, 7a in 10 games last season -- i live for hockey night. no matter how well or poorly i perform, i know i can head back into the lockerroom and i'm accepted. sure i'll take a little ribbing sometimes, but i know it's to cheer me up. besides, hasn't anyone else been so excited to take a penalty kill shift that they tripped going over the boards and took out the ref?
now hockey wasn't my first sport. in fact, i starting playing (semi-competitively) later in life. in the 6th grade i got coaxed into playing soccer Fußball by a girl. lucky for me, being german, it came pretty naturally. by the end of my first season i was playing on the american select team as well as for a local german club. that young lady altered my life as Fußball played a major role in my growing up, particularly during my high school years where i moved around a fair amount.
by the time university came along, i made a major decision. education over athletics. despite having a scholarship in hand to play (ok, probably ride the bench the first year or so) on a nationally ranked team, i made my choice. i'd work hard, put myself through school and take the road most travelled. at the end of my freshman year, i ran into coach arena at a practice. i still liked kicking the ball around a bit. i could still sign on for next year, he said, but it would have to be a partial scholarship. a chance to change paths? i eventually declined.
the team won several (3, i think) national championships while i would have been there. woulda, coulda, shoulda.
so now i'm going to go grab my gear, drive to the rink, and lace 'em up because tonight is hockey night.
Posted by ac at July 19, 2003 06:55 PM