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Riding, Soccer
Oct. 3rd, 2013 01:47 pmHad another riding lesson on Saturday, before my housewarming with Sarah, the British woman. It went very well and I got to canter a bit. Anna, the wife of the owner, introduced me to some of the other adult riders, including a Swedish woman. I ended up singing some of Sondheim's "Night Waltz" to her. (Aside--is
The hands on the clock turn,
But don't sing a nocturne
Just yet
not like the most insanely clever lyric ever written? It's amazing.)
Sunday I had a game with my Dolphman team--the other team was HUGE and big and large. And kind of histrionic with the flopping*. (I had to define that word for my teammates afterward, Adam had never heard it.) They were SO big and yet apparently very fragile which is something that drives me crazy. For the most part it's guys who pull this and I cannot fathom why--doesn't that make you look weak if you're that easily injured? Anyway we had only 2-3 female players and the other two both had to leave the game (asthma, etc.) so it was just me most of the game. I didn't have the best game--hardly any shots off :(
Yesterday I went over to the barn again--the owner had told me I could come over during the week when they don't really have any lessons scheduled. I rode the spunky mare I'd had at my first lesson but she was in a MOOD. Very, very frustrating. I have to say--I was getting annoyed at the owner who, kind as he is, is an older male and I have a short rein with patronizing older men. He was saying I was too tense, I needed to give the mare more rein and don't be so afraid--I *finally* had to respond, saying "Uh, I'm not afraid. She wants to canter [gallop, actually] and you don't want us to do that, hence the short reins."
Anyway I left feeling somewhat discouraged--the owner and the British instructor are two VERY different instructors and it's confusing. But whatever--even bad riding is better than no riding. Something good was that Anna told me that she and the owner approved of the way I dress (I wear britches, leather boots and a proper hardhat), they think it's a good example for the younger riders. Virginia snobbery FTW :)
So when I got back to my apartment before I left for work, I saw an email from one of my Dolphman teammates--she's in another league and they needed a female for their game that night (last night). I said sure and showed up at the game where I promptly scored two goals! (We won, 4-0.) It was sweeeeeeeeet. So, so sweet to prove myself in front of a bunch of players who'd never seen me before.** One of the guys called me MVP after the game, and another was praising me for how I was ALWAYS in attack mode. Yep, that's pretty much what I do--I am always up in that goalie's business. Especially the one last night--he did some decent saves but had butterfingers so after every save I was aaaaaallllll up in his bidness. In fact my second goal went through his legs and hands! Lindsay was saying afterward how intense the guys on the other team were getting toward the end of the game and I said well, they were shutout and two of the four goals against them were by a small female. That can't be good for a certain kind of male ego. Anyway so Lindsay asked if I could play the rest of the season and I'm all, hey I'll play for free, sure!
*Flopping is a sports term for a player who exaggerates or fakes being hurt by an opposing player. So-called because they're quick to fall.
**Especially sweet because it made me realize *again* how BAD the guys on the Dolphman team are about PASSING. I've vented about this before but it's kind of maddening. They just do not pass, and I'm not a great carrier, I play a passing game. Fucking give up the ball once in a while and maybe we'll score sometime this season!
The hands on the clock turn,
But don't sing a nocturne
Just yet
not like the most insanely clever lyric ever written? It's amazing.)
Sunday I had a game with my Dolphman team--the other team was HUGE and big and large. And kind of histrionic with the flopping*. (I had to define that word for my teammates afterward, Adam had never heard it.) They were SO big and yet apparently very fragile which is something that drives me crazy. For the most part it's guys who pull this and I cannot fathom why--doesn't that make you look weak if you're that easily injured? Anyway we had only 2-3 female players and the other two both had to leave the game (asthma, etc.) so it was just me most of the game. I didn't have the best game--hardly any shots off :(
Yesterday I went over to the barn again--the owner had told me I could come over during the week when they don't really have any lessons scheduled. I rode the spunky mare I'd had at my first lesson but she was in a MOOD. Very, very frustrating. I have to say--I was getting annoyed at the owner who, kind as he is, is an older male and I have a short rein with patronizing older men. He was saying I was too tense, I needed to give the mare more rein and don't be so afraid--I *finally* had to respond, saying "Uh, I'm not afraid. She wants to canter [gallop, actually] and you don't want us to do that, hence the short reins."
Anyway I left feeling somewhat discouraged--the owner and the British instructor are two VERY different instructors and it's confusing. But whatever--even bad riding is better than no riding. Something good was that Anna told me that she and the owner approved of the way I dress (I wear britches, leather boots and a proper hardhat), they think it's a good example for the younger riders. Virginia snobbery FTW :)
So when I got back to my apartment before I left for work, I saw an email from one of my Dolphman teammates--she's in another league and they needed a female for their game that night (last night). I said sure and showed up at the game where I promptly scored two goals! (We won, 4-0.) It was sweeeeeeeeet. So, so sweet to prove myself in front of a bunch of players who'd never seen me before.** One of the guys called me MVP after the game, and another was praising me for how I was ALWAYS in attack mode. Yep, that's pretty much what I do--I am always up in that goalie's business. Especially the one last night--he did some decent saves but had butterfingers so after every save I was aaaaaallllll up in his bidness. In fact my second goal went through his legs and hands! Lindsay was saying afterward how intense the guys on the other team were getting toward the end of the game and I said well, they were shutout and two of the four goals against them were by a small female. That can't be good for a certain kind of male ego. Anyway so Lindsay asked if I could play the rest of the season and I'm all, hey I'll play for free, sure!
*Flopping is a sports term for a player who exaggerates or fakes being hurt by an opposing player. So-called because they're quick to fall.
**Especially sweet because it made me realize *again* how BAD the guys on the Dolphman team are about PASSING. I've vented about this before but it's kind of maddening. They just do not pass, and I'm not a great carrier, I play a passing game. Fucking give up the ball once in a while and maybe we'll score sometime this season!
