“Put me in coach!”
This is the story of how I tried out for the USAL women’s fútbol team. And like all good stories, we’ll begin with the facts.
Fact #1: Fútbol in Argentina is more than a sport. It’s a lifestyle. It’s engrained in the culture. It’s a favorite pastime of all. And they are good.
Fact #2: I have never played fútbol–no really, NEVER. It’s not uncommon in the states to play a little soccer growing up…you join your neighborhood team, you kick the ball around with the family on the weekends. Ya, never did that. I’m a volleyball player. And volleyball is probably the most opposite sport you can find considering one involves contacting the ball with your feet and the other with your hands.
Fact #3: I really wanted to give playing fútbol in Argentina a shot. Whether the cultural love of the sport had gotten to me, I missed watching the national team play on TV, or I actually thought I could make the team, I showed up for tryouts on Tuesday, August 4th with no soccer cleats, little skill, and a whole lot of determination.
“We’ll call you Cometa...”
It quickly became apparent to the the coach and the rest of the team that what I lacked in soccer skill, I made up for in speed. And because the coach (and the rest of Argentina) could not pronounce “Haylie” correctly, she decided to give me a nickname: Cometa, or Comet in English. While I want to say I was given the nickname because of the famous “Halley’s Comet”, she chose it because “I was fast like a comet but not very good at soccer”. Haha. Yes, her words exactly.
“Good try, kid.”
Skipping to the end of this comical story, I did not make the final cut of the USAL women’s fútbol team…being the first in every sprint test and first to the ball on the field doesn’t do any good when you can’t kick the ball. 🙂 But to be honest, my failure to make the team was a blessing. While my two days of tryouts afforded me the opportunity to meet an incredible group of girls, make new friends, try a new sport, and learn some cool footwork, I really took a beating on the field. By Day 2, I was exhausted, had a collection of cuts and bruises, and could barely move.
Moral of the story is it’s always good to try new things–put yourself out there! Sure, it was kind of crazy of me to think that I could play soccer for USAL without ever having played before…but I am proud that I tried and I will never forget the experience.
Much love and luck to the USAL women’s soccer team this year! They’ve got a great team.
Besos,
Cometa
This week I learned…
1.) that most (if not all) Argentine professors do not arrive on time. You can show up to class 30 minutes “late” and be in your seat with time to spare.
2.) to take better care of my computer charger. In Argentina, Mac supplies are very difficult to find and are insanely expensive. RIP to my old charger…
3.) that buffalo wings are also very difficult to find in this city. Let the search continue!
