I've been playing soccer for as long as I can remember. During this
time, I've been kicked in the face, slammed into a goal post, and
run over from stem to sternum. So at various points in my soccer career,
the question has arisen: "Why? Why do I play soccer and subject myself
to all this?"
Although there is the possibility that severe head trauma is responsible
for my passion for soccer, I tend to think that I love it because
the game, which can sometimes be brutal, and can also be beautiful.
I love soccer's lack of emphasis on authority and regimentation. It's
one of the only sports I know where individuals do more than follow
predetermined plays and listen to the sage advice of others. The speed
of soccer requires that players, rather than coaches, be able to assess
and address situations as quickly as they arise on field.
In soccer, being humongous, amazingly tall, or super fast is meaningless
if one is not smart. As an athletic person who has been gifted with
the short (heighted, sighted, and legged) genes, I find this inspiring.
I find soccer beautiful because it is "messy." Instead of just
being about getting somewhere faster, it's about taking a longer
road to get to a better place. Soccer players don't just want
to "win at any cost"; they also want to look good, have fun
and do it all in a way that has never been done before.
Soccer
mixes up the utilitarian business of winning with artistry,
entertainment and pleasure. Such a mixture isn't efficient.
It can't be graphed or charted--it will never add up. In the
end, the game of soccer isn't about statistics--it's about the
beauty of people and their passions.
