SOCCER STORY -- I ALMOST DIED

SOCCER STORY -- I ALMOST DIED

Since I was on the subject of soccer, I remembered another interesting soccer story that is only funny now... some 12 years later.

When I was 18, I decided that I wanted to make some extra money, so I signed up to referee soccer games in the local kid's league. I went through orientation and I was assigned some games.

The first set of games I officiated were at a field about 4 miles from my parent's house. As a young kid without a car, I got on my bicycle and rode the short ride over to the fields. The game was a bunch of 11 year old boys. I am going to say right up front now that 11 year old boys should have a basic understanding of the game of soccer. You can give them some breaks here and there, but they should really know how to play.

The home team was losing the game with about 8 minutes to go in the game by a score of 2-0. The visiting team decided to put in some of its "less than stellar" performers in at that point. One of the players was a kid put into the fullback position. For those that do not know, this is the group of players right in front of the goalie.

The home team made its run and took a shot on goal. The recently entered kid caught the ball...in the penalty box. Penalty kick. Score -- 2-0. After penalty kick -- 2-1.

There are now 5 minutes to go in the game and the opposing coach is upset and yelling at the kid. Regardless, they keep the kid in the game. The home team makes another break. Guess what happens? Yeup -- same kid -- same ball -- same hands -- same penalty kick -- new score. 2-2. Now the visiting team's coach is yelling at me -- rather abusively claiming that I should give the kid a break because 1. he is only 11 and 2. he is slow. (1. As I said before, 11 years should know better... ok... the first time is one thing... but the second time? and 2. Wrong on so many levels.)

I stop the clock and I walk over to the sideline and I say -- "Coach. If you continue to yell and embarrass yourself like this, I am going to give you a red card... not a yellow, but a red card." That shut him up.

So now... the score is 2-2 and there are about 3-4 minutes left in the game when guess what happens? Yeup. I don't even need to tell you. The home team goes ahead 3-2 with 2 minutes left in the game and the game eventually ends.

The opposing coach laid into me after the game and continued to yell and scream at me all the way to the parking lot. Talk about projecting your anger! The kicker is... here I am... an 18 year old kid with my ten speed bike and a crazy father behind me chasing me down a back country road. I have to admit that I was petrified and I pulled back into the parking lot just to be around other parents and adults to see if this guy continued his rampage. I finally got a ride home from a pair of parents that I knew.

The most amazing thing about this story isn't the game or the asshole coach. You have to expect that kind of stuff -- no matter how horrible it is -- when you are talking kids sports. Too many parents think the game is more important than civility or the kids' good time. They get out of control. No... none of this matters. What really was discouraging to me was how the parents let this guy be a complete asshole about it. They enabled him. I can only imagine how many other times he was allowed to do this and completely make an ass out of himself.