Sunday March 20

First day of spring and its a beauty. 35 and clear at game time. Lots of guys showed up today, including Bucky and Dan Gonzales and guests Uttam, George from last week and Juan. We got up to 14 v 14 with some registered players sitting out, so we had to ask the guests to leave the game, except for George who was in the net for white. Juan left, Enzo came late, hung out for a while, and left.

Game summary:

Fernando for White with a bicycle kick! 1-0

Tom for white 2-0

Vince for blue 2-1

Shamu for blue 2-2

" " " 2-3

Vince again 2-4

Keebs for white 3-4

Mark Miller! for white 4-4

Vince again 4-5

At this point in the game Shamu changed his shirt and joined the white team, Tom and Dino, both playing for white, left.

Keebs again 5-5

C for blue 5-6

Fernando again 6-6

Shamu for the white 7-6

Keith for white 8-6

The game ended early in spite of the beautiful conditions and abundance of players. Next week we start early 8 or so, watch your e mails.

Player of the Week

Doug

I grew up in Teaneck, and my soccer career started in 1968 playing in the Rec leagues at Votee Park. I played a few years there and I didn’t play again until my Junior year in High school. That year, we had an undefeated season through the last game, which we lost in a half shortened game in about a foot of water to Paramus. I’ll never forget the bus ride home. Our coach literally in tears in the front of the bus, and my buddy and me laughing uncontrollably in the rear. Just the sad, stoic faces of my teammates struck me funny and by the time we got back to school, almost everyone was in stitches, even the coach. My senior year, 1975, we had a great blend of Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors and went on to win a league championship. After graduating from Washington University, where I didn’t play, I played in a league in Englewood for a number of years. I started coaching my kids in the Hohokus/ Saddle River Rec leagues, and coached my two sons until they went to High School. My oldest son went to Midland Park, and over the summers they let parents and walk ons scrimmage the team. When he graduated, I realized I was hooked and was looking to keep playing. I found out about the Upper Saddle River games at Lions park through the coaches games that we had every year. My youngest son was a keeper for Northern Highlands and my years of taking him to training and watching him play must have rubbed off a little. I was a halfback by trade but when showing up one day to Lions Park, no one wanted to play keeper so that was my opportunity to walk on the field and give it a whirl. The rest is history. I remember thinking I’ll do this for a few weeks and then make my way onto the field. Yeah, right.

I really hate exercising on my own, but love competition and maybe the camaraderie of teammates. That’s why I also still play softball and tennis. I know my wife of 32 years holds her breath every Sunday, thinking I’m going to call her from the hospital, but she knows how much I love it, and I thank her for her putting up with it. The whole Soccer experience from the very beginning has been extremely rewarding. The time spent coaching my kids and their friends was priceless. I’ve been lucky to play with my boys on a team at Chelsea Piers, where my son and I share duties between the posts. I look forward to Sundays every week, and I hope to keep playing for a long, long time.