Why the british accent? Because I just got back from watching SO MUCH soccer I can't help but talk in a british accent. Me and one of my undergrad staff traveled to Columbus, Ohio for the Region III Women's Soccer tournament. Kind of the same deal as the flag football tourney at Notre Dame, just revolving around soccer.
Whoa.
There were so many soccer balls, and chants, and dog piles, and goal celebrations, or no celebrations at all because no one scores, and tears and broken noses, and blood, and headers, strikers, and goal keepers kicked in the face, and screaming midfielders, and slide tackles, and cleats, and shin guards, and upsets, and college girls running around in 40 degree weather in short sleeve shirts and soccer shorts, I had ever seen in my life…
OUCH
While the tourney was pretty fun, it was a lot smaller than the flag football tourney. We only had 8 staff members total, and it kinda ran itself. There weren't any refs competing for the bid to national's, only teams playing and the craziest part of the tourney was choosing players to be on all tournament. And I didn't have to do that, I was just operational staff meaning I was the field marshall. So I got to sit and watch countless hours of soccer, keep score, track shots on goal and corner kicks. Pretty easy when the highest scoring game you have is 3-1. But I did get to meet some more people within the region. One of the women working the tourney turned out to be from Arizona. So Region IV just like me. She's professional staff and had been working at the University of Arizona for the last 20+ years AND she worked with my aunt! The super cool aunt who got started in Rec too. Like whoaaa!!
More small world instances. Crazy how everyone is interconnected to someone, even when I'm 2,100 miles away. Just. Crazyyy. But crazy cool and I'm glad she's close by now so that we can see each other at more of these events and reminisce about the good ol' days of Region IV.
But it was nice not to be so intimidated by all the people this time around. And it wasn't so cliquey. We all hung out together, we all laughed and joked (more often than not it was AT me because I managed to screw up and lose a ball, oops, imagine that) together and pretty much were together for the entirety of the time. And I loved it. I didn't have to rely on my staff to introduce me to anyone, I could, for the most part, handle the operational duties like manual labor, going out and checking Columbus the city out with them and I LOVED just sitting back watching some footy and kicking around an extra ball from time to time. Oh and did I mention we were at Ohio State.
Ya. Right by the stadium. THAT stadium. Not in it, but next to it on beautiful soccer fields. (i did peek inside and it's pretty impressive up close and personal too) And my little brother LOVES Ohio State and really wants to go there, so of course I went to the bookstore and dropped a pretty penny on his xmas gifts. (It's a good thing he's my favorite brother)
The only down side was that it was cold again. I was prepared though and had a TON of layers on. Still was cold and slightly miserable at times but otherwise it wasn't too too bad.. Def not as cold as Notre Dame but still pretty chilly.
Probably the highlight tho was that I also got to see some family of mine that happens to live in Columbus. They're my mom's cousins and I remember them from various family get togethers like birthdays and weddings, and we weren't the closest of family members as they're extended. I didn't really know them when younger, but it makes sense, usually that happens.
But these cousins were very supportive when my grandfather was ill and in the hospital. Everyone loved him and every family member, from 4th cousins twice removed to those much more close and legit came and tried to console, support, offer love. I still tear up thinking about it. We miss him a lot.
But to get to spend an evening with my family that knew him and that we had those shared memories was really nice, even if it did make me a little more home sick. We chatted about school and work and how my parents and family were doing, etc. And it was a great time catching up. The little girls who were just babies when I first met them are grown and in their early teens now but they are funny and boy crazy and all about swim team and dance recitals. The mom, my mom's actual cousin is very sweet and offered me to come out whenever need be. Which even if I don't go often, is still nice to just know that I could go. It's nice to be reminded that I do have some family out here, no they aren't super close but they're only a train ride or 1/2 day car trip away. That's do-able.
Now we're back in Carbondale and back on that grind. I have a 15pg paper to write by tomorrow and about 5 bajillion things to do before then too. Love it. Friday can't come soon enough!
To Be Continued!
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