Getting a kick out of soccer

I have soccer fever.
Dexter coach Scott Forrester told his players before they took the pitch – yes, the field in soccer is called a pitch – that they should feel lucky they weren't dressed up in coats, gloves and long johns. The Dreadnaughts had nice weather for their home opener last week and responded with a warm reception to the new season – a 3-1 victory over Pinckney.
The next day, Chelsea hosted Riverview in the Bulldogs' first game of the season. They weren't as fortunate as Dexter when it came to the weather. It was freezing. You could hear the teeth chatter from the other side of the field.
Still, Chelsea won 2-0.
Both teams displayed a high level of skill, especially considering it was the first game of the season.
Dexter was outplayed for much of the first half, but didn't respond by playing long ball and just trying to clear the ball out of its zone. The Dreads stuck to their game plan by using short passes, creating space and working hard. It paid off.
The Bulldogs also showed they were ready to go from the opening kick. Like Dexter, Chelsea was prepared. Both teams have some outstanding players, who obviously have a lot of experience.
I'm looking forward to covering both of these talented teams. It wasn't that long ago that I was playing high school soccer – OK, it was a long time ago. But our team went 23-1 and won the Class AAA N.Y. State soccer championship with a 3-0 win over a team from Long Island – a longtime hotbed of soccer talent.
I played two years of college soccer at EMU before trading in my cleats for a Fender Telecaster. I guess I wanted to be the next Springsteen more than the next Pele.
See ya on the pitch!