the beautiful game

FUTBÓL MANIA BEGINS!!!

Today was the opening day of the Peace Community´s soccer tournament. The different settlements of the community as well as some near by communities (like the indigenous community about 20 minutes down the road from San Josecito)are invited to play in a tournament that eventually only one team can be champions of. In the past they have splurged for uniforms screened with the names of the settlement or village but this year we are sporting uniforms of the Americas. I was invited to play on the women´s side for La Unión (of course!) and we have red uniforms that proudly display Chile. Hey, whatever works.

Today we kicked it all off with some friendlies. The young kids started out, La Unión v. San Josecito, ending in a 1-0 victory for San Josecito. Then we were up against one of the women´s teams from San Josecito. The mid-morning sun blaring down as most of the LU women opted to play in their rubber boots, for lack of soccer cleats. My old cleats are back in the US gathering dust, so while I was tempted to wear the boots (shoe and shinguard in one fell swoop!) I went with my less-heavy sneakers instead.

It was a wild game. A lot shorter, too. We played two halves, 30 minutes each and we DOMINATED. Due to extraordinary team effort, coordination and brute force (we haven´t even practiced yet!) the LU women enjoyed a shutout victory, 6-0. Their were no goals by old Amanda Jack, but a couple of assists and more importantly, no embarrassing moments. The gringa can hold her own. The tourney starts to count next Sunday and considering my bruised shins, I might consider going for the boots next time around.