MAKE IT HAPPEN

NUGGETS

Here we are...Nuggets post game (with a few people missing).

The playoffs- Nuggets vs Showboats (old people-us vs youngsters-them).

Yup....co-ed soccer playoffs. Serious stuff in our house ;) We fell behind 4-0 from laziness. No one makes up a 4-0 deficit in soccer, except us. Final whistle, 4-4. That's right. From pure and simple hard work and NEVER giving up. I was thinking about the half IM I have this weekend while I was on the field, and the Ironman to come. I had a string of bad plays in a row- my head started to get down. Then, with a little time, I was playing well...and our team started to play well. Lots of things can happen in games and races. You never know when the tide is going to turn, so keep your head up and in the game. One pass, one step at a time.

The game ended in penalty kicks (PKs). I am sure most of you know what that is. Taking them is nerve racking and never easy. It is like saying "Here is your chance to be the hero or the loser. Good luck!" 5 players on our team (2 girls) had to take them. Everyone came to me and asked me to be one of the girls- and to please take the first kick. None of the other girls wanted up there. Knowing I could help or hurt our team...one way or the other, I said... "Sure, I would love to take a PK." And, I walked up there with confidence (or fake confidence, whatever). My team believed in me.

And I nailed mine. Yeah for me! I totally pump my fist afterwards, too. I am such a dork...but a passionate dork. (And for the record, I have not made all of my PKs in my life. I distinctly remember missing a really important one where my women's team in New Orleans lost a tournament- if Cindy is reading this, I am sure she remembers!).

We lost the game anyways at the end on the PKs because our team had a couple of misses. Bummer, since we are now out of the championship. We still went to get beer though. :) That seems to make it all better!

In the end, I got several compliments from teammates about my game. It felt good. Really, though, I didn't do anything fantastic tonight. I just did the small stuff. The hustle. The little things that are in our control that we don't always give the deserved attention. So, everyone keep their heads up with their next race or game. One bad move, pass, or mile is not a disaster. Find a way to win the ball back or get back on pace. Keep your head in the game. (I hope I can take my own advice this weekend!)



Dave and Damie :) 12 years of playing soccer together- to be honest, I am not sure our bodies will make it 12 more! They other players just keep getting younger! :) Cheers to us- we love soccer.