Shady Travels: Live, Explore, Learn: Cracker of a Season

Pre-Game Team Huddle

Today was the last game of the season for my soccer team, Maccabi FC, in the All-age Women Division II. We were the wild card team. We were in 8th place and managed to break through regular season with injuries, lack of players due to holidays, torrential rain and league rulings on alleged 'non-registered' players that could have thrown us out weeks ago.

I joined the team back in April eager with soccer fever and ready to expand my network in Sydney. Luckily, I found a team desperate for players - they only had 11! If you don't know already, soccer is a 90 minute game requiring 11 players. If you don't have subs, it's absolutely exhausting.

We practiced every Thursday and played every Sunday from April to August. When there were only 4 teams left, we played each other once in a knock-out round to the finals. We beat the Dunbar Rovers, the 4th place team and now faced the Heffron Hawks, the 2nd place team.

As the third place team, this was a must-win situation because if we won, we would face Coogee United, our rival team. Coogee hadn't lost nor tied one game the entire season with one exception; we beat them in regular season 4-1 on a rainy Sunday when they were least expecting it. We had played them 3 times this season and each time, they were nasty constantly trying to knock us down often clothes-lining our team and tripping us. At one point in that game, we were awarded a free-kick because Coogee fouled us. Our player set the ball down and one of their players went up to the ball and kicked it away. Remember, this is grown women playing. So by the playoffs, we wanted to knock off Coogee out of the top spot.

It was a cloudy Sunday. Kick off was at noon and we arrived 45 minutes prior to warm-up. We had 13 players, 2 more than we usually have. I hadn't played the week before because I was running the City2Surf race. With almost 2 weeks off, I was ready to play.

We started off really slow. We could blame our lack of concentration during warm-up or just lack of excitement, but our first half was slow. Our passes were not direct and we were slow to anticipate. By half-time we were losing 1-0, uninspired, exhausted and not sure if we would be making it to the finals. I had pulled a muscle at the top of my foot during the City2Surf and desperately tried to keep playing despite the pain.

We went back in for the second half and I could feel the top of my foot wasn't right. With 20 minutes left, I asked to be subbed out. My coach was not happy. In a league where we're supposed to play and have fun, this game was not the case. With finals on the line, our coach wanted to play only the best. I take all corners and make players in the middle. Without me, our team would struggle in those areas.

I sat on the sidelines and watched my team fight back desperately trying to score before the whistle was blown. Over my shoulder, I heard cheering whenever our team was given a whistle. It was the entire Coogee team! They were all there heckling at our misfortunes. I couldn't take it anymore. I asked the coach to put me back in even if we only had 10 minutes left.

In the last 20 seconds of the game, we were awarded a corner kick. I took the kick and hoped for the best. It sailed into the box and bounced off one of Heffron's players into the net. We were not tied 1-1 and the whistle blew signaling the end of regulation play.

During playoffs, teams who are tied will play an extra 15 minutes for each side, totaling 30 minutes of extra time. The first team to score, wins - this is called 'Golden Goal'. If no one scores within the two 15 minute halves, the team's go into shootouts.

We played for 5 minutes and their player scored, but was off sides because she was cherry picking right in the box.

A few minutes later, Heffron was giving a corner kick. I went up close to try to head it away. I jumped up to head it and my arm grazed the ball. This was one of the most disappointing moments in my soccer career. I get so peeved when players try to chest or head the ball and end up placing the hands or arms in front of them because they think it will hurt. We're girls! Our boobs should be padding enough! In this instance, this ball graze was a complete miscalculation on my part because I tried to head the ball away then changed my mind to chest trap it and then it was too late.

We all lined up outside of the box, while their player set the ball down to take the penalty kick. I could just hear our players saying, ''Good season girls" because they had given up. People on the sidelines even started to pack up. I had the biggest lump in my throat and a knot in my stomach because this was my fault. All the hard work we put into the season would go down because my arm grazed the ball.

The player shot and our keeper blocked it with ease. Whew!

Nearing the end of the first 15 minute overtime half, the main Heffron forward had a break away and shot from outside the box. The wind carried the ball over our goalkeeper's hands and it was in. The game was over. The season was over. Heffron won fair and square, so there was no hard feelings. We felt deflated because we so desperately wanted to make it to the finals and beat Coogee.

We weren't angry. We had a good season despite all the setbacks. One of my teammates made a joke that was I was playing netball - a sort of basketball for girls in Australia.

We sat in a circle around our coach and had our last talk of the season. He was proud of our efforts and made a speech about hard work, showing up and dedication. It was true. If we had put more effort in at training, warm- up and the game - perhaps we would have come out on top.

No regrets though. We had a cracker of a season (Aussie for 'one hell of a season'). The whole point of my joining a team again was to do something outside of work and home. I got to reconnect with my high school self and reignite my passion for soccer. I'm so glad I was able to find a team in my neighborhood, play club soccer and make a new set of friends. My soccer aspirations were answered by Maccabi FC. The next outdoor season is 8 months away. Maybe I'll try some futsal until then.