Staff 3, Residents 1

Here at our anesthesiology training program in San Antonio, we have traditionally spent Veterans Day having a sporting contest between the staff and residents. The last five years or so, we have been playing soccer. In the first year of my residency, I debated about not going to the soccer game. I had never played competitive soccer. (Or really any soccer at all for that matter.) But I figured that I was a fairly athletic sort of guy, and besides, how many people my age or older had really played soccer, anyway. The residents had never lost one of these games before, so I figured I could waltz in, run around the field a little bit and I could bask in the glory of another easy win. Of course, that's not how things turned out. The staff team that year had some very good players. I didn't have a clue what I was doing and so even though I attempted to play defense, the staff scored multiple goals and made me look silly in the process. It was not a fun game.

Fast forward three years. We're playing soccer again, only this time, I am on the staff team. I am a competitive sort of guy, and I don't want to lose again. And more than anything, I don't want to look ridiculous. At least this time, I have been coaching Spencer's soccer team. And I've been helping them through some of their drills.And I've been playing with both Mason and Spencer at home. Of course, I'm not sure how working with a U5 team is going to translate to adult competition, but at least I understand how the game is supposed to be played.

We start off the game on the attack. We score a quick goal. Soon we're pushing the ball up the field again. I find myself in front of the goal with the ball right at my feet and nothing but the goalie in front of me. I punch it in with my left foot. Left foot? That's crazy. I can hardly kick with my left foot. But the ball goes straight and true, right to the left corner of the net, out of reach of the goalie. We start whooping and hollering like we just won the World Cup. Not too much later we add another goal for good measure.

Now, there are many more residents who are there at the game then staff. This means that they can substitute at will and wear us down. Right before half, they score their first goal. In the second half they keep trying to attack, but we push them back, and every shot they attempt goes wide. Final score Staff 3, Residents 1.

Perhaps it's a bit over the top, but yes, I am a little excited that we won this game. I'm even more excited that we won this game and that I played well. I will definitely say that I had a better time this year than I did three years ago.