That happy time is once again upon us! My CVSA team, Artillery FC starts is fall term later today. Soccer season is one of the things I truly enjoy in life, and this season should be the best yet. After Stephan and I founded Artillery FC, out inaugural term didn’t go so well. We only had about 13 solid people, and most games, less than 11 showed up. We forfeited multiple games last term. This was quite a bummer, because we had the talent to take on anyone in our division, but we always had a problem with numbers.
This term will prove to be much different. We had 20 players total registered before the deadline. And these are 20 players that genuinely want to play, unlike last years 13 or so. This club is very near and dear to my heart, and I just want to give us a fighting chance to move up the ranks within our league. Steve and I have put so much effort, time, and money into trying to make this team successful, and it’s just really cool to see things materializing in a very positive way. This game will probably be the first game ever in which AFC will have 5+ available subs. Such a big help, especially if the opposing team is lower on numbers. I’d want to hit them early and often with subs.
I’ve also personally improved quite a bit as well. I’m now entirely more confident on the ball, and as I’ve always had half-decent skill, now I’ve got the confidence to go with it. That comes from logging lots of hours alone on the pitch, training and trying to get better. I’ve also lost around 40 lbs since last term, and that’s a massive help too. Eating better, and putting premium organic supplements (that I buy from my own Amway business) into my body on a daily basis has just improved my overall health and stamina. On the pitch, I’ve worked not only on the basics, but I’ve started to add a repertoire of tricks and deceiving skill moves. I’ve gotten pretty good at single step overs, releasing myself into the space created when the defender hesitates, and I’ve gotten decent at multiple stepovers as well. I can do precise triple stepovers without much trouble these days. Anything more and I just look goofy. I’ve also been working on my Cruyff turns, stepover-pulls, drag-behinds and my personal favorite, the Zidane 360-degree spin. I like to think the stepovers and the Zidane spin are my best skill moves, as well as a number of simple, but deceiving one-touch flicks. I can’t wait to try out some of these skills in a game-scenario.
Also, we’ve been practicing as a team for a few weeks now. We’ve added SO much good talent, and some natural on-field leaders as well. I think the team is really beginning to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It seems like we’re definitely a passing side, which I like (Arsenal, anyone?). But we also have some pretty deft crossers of the ball, and guys tall and skilled enough to put heads on crosses inside the 18. We have lots of guys with talented feet as well. Our Defense was always very solid, and we have quite a few returning defenders, as well as some new, very skilled ones. Midfield is another area where we have improved as well, in numbers, and in skill. Our attack is going to look particularly good, I believe, with our Strikers and Forward players finding their touch during the offseason, thus enabling us to start the season in goal-scoring mode. I foresee lots of on-touch passing, 1-2 moves and deft assisting for us this year. Hopefully it’s enough to take down our division and get promoted.
I love the beauty and the simplicity of this great game so much, and it’s sometimes rare that I get a chance to just do something I genuinely love to do. It’ll be nice to have a chance to do so for 90 minutes every week. It’s what I love about soccer season.
Check out the blog I started for our club, artilleryfc.tumblr.com.
To the pitch. :-)
