3rd Place Winner Spring 2024: ‘Game On’

The contest prompt was to write about a time that split your life into "before" and "after.” Entrants were given 2,200 characters (about 400 words) to do so.

Game On

My best friend, Betsy, asked me to register with her for a local recreational soccer league. We had first played together when we were five years old, mustard colored jerseys hanging to our knees, all of us chasing the ball like a swarm of extremely uncoordinated bees. We had last played together in high school, parents driving us around the state nearly every weekend, living off Subway sandwiches, goofing off and pretending to be pros between games.

“C’mon Ang, it’ll be fun!”

My memory of play was mixed, love-hate to say the least, but I couldn’t turn down Betsy - we’d always played. And in our mid-30s? I clicked the “register” button feeling tough.

In storage I found my old soccer bag. It smelt as awful as I remembered - worse actually, now mixed with basement musk. Just holding the old gear, my muscles began to twitch, adrenaline making me shake hot. I was excited.

I walked into the stadium, day one, terrified. Shy and out of shape, I wasn’t certain how I’d be received. I knew no one but Betsy. But somehow what would typically have been a nightmare scenario for me turned out to be life changing magic.

No grudges, no expectations. Everyone just wanted to play. I ran the field with my life-long friend like we were kids. I ended up goalie - something I’d hated as a kid and now apparently loved (not too weird, I guess, brussel sprouts anyone?). When I knew the opponent had a good chance to score, that I couldn’t cover a gap in time, I’d yell, “Shot, shot!” Hoping they’d take it and feel the gratifying rush of scoring. When my team needed support or congrats, I gave it - loudly. And when I made a save I felt like the hero.

Eventually I got asked to play on other teams. One tournament I played in hosted co-ed teams of players over seventy. These folks were slide tackling, playing full field, 11 player teams, for the entire 90 minutes! And I had hesitated at 35?! Watching their games was so inspiring, now I can’t imagine not playing at that age.

Yeah, I ended up on an operating table, yeah, a couple of times. But when people ask, “So you’re gonna be done now?” It’s hard to hold back my disgust at the thought when I answer, “Hell no! I love this game.”