Preface: One of the things you’re taught as a soccer ref is the question of endangerment. Players endangering themselves by certain manuevers are guilty of a foul.
The goalie is the only player who is allowed to put himself in harm’s way as part of play.
Game: It’s a hundred and two degrees when I get to field. Our guys are wearing whites, so that’s good. Justin’s goalie jersey is a dark green and he’s in the net for the whole game again.
The kids played their guts out. Let me focus on the good.
Justin jammed a ball on a kid in the first half. He had many good saves, but this one was really gutsy. The kid kicks the ball… instead of staying back and blocking, you charge the ball and kick it at the same time, hoping that you kick harder on your side than he does on his.
The other kid was definately not expecting it. :)
Second half: same kid’s coming at the net. He’s about to kick it, and Justin just drops right in front of it… GRABS it with both hands and hangs on as the kid’s kicking it. He’s shaking his hand after that one, but I checked and it’s okay, and the ball didn’t go anywhere.
Final: 1 - 1 tie. Coach said a lot of stuff after the game about playing with Guts and Character and gave Justin the Man of the Match pin. I kept my head down and looked at the grass or I’d have been tearing up. The coach was.
Could not. Have. Been. Prouder.
