Since I was able to walk I have been playing some type of sport. Here is a comprehensive list of my past sports history:
- Gymnastics: 2 years in elementary school
- Basketball: 6 years; 4th grade-10th grade
- Traveling AAU Basketball: 3 years in middle school
- Track and Field (various events): 5 years; 7th grade-11th grade
- Cross Country: 4 years; 7th grade-10th grade
- Indoor Soccer: 4 years in high school
- Intramural Soccer: 2 years in college
- Soccer: 12 years; 1st grade-12th grade
I have had a hand in a lot of different activities, but my favorite sport has always been soccer. My older brother played soccer and I wanted to do everything that he did, and it turned out we were both really good for our area. I love playing soccer, but I also refereed youth league games when I was in high school and I coached our girls indoor team one of the sessions that I was injured and could not physically participate. Although I love everything that is soccer, I'm ashamed to say that I don't watch it too often on television. I have been to probably 15 Columbus Crew Soccer Games, but ever since Brian McBride left the Crew I've lost interest.
I loved everything about Mia Hamm when I was a young girl. I had a poster of her that read, "I don't want to be the next Mia Hamm, I want to be better than her." As little kids usually do, I believed I would be the one to make it all the way. I had the chance to play soccer at 3 different colleges, but turned them all down. I decided I had had enough after high school and just wanted to be a student. I don't regret that decision, but I do look back sometimes and wonder ...what if... So if I had the chance to see any sports moment in history it would have been the 1999 Women's World Cup Championship; United States vs China. Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain and Kristine Lilly were my favorite players. I like to imagine that the atmosphere and energy surrounding the game was something that only can be described by someone that was there. I would have loved to have been at that game, and felt the wave of energy soar through the crowd when Chastain scored the game winner. Who knows, maybe being there and feeling the power of the game would have kept the energy in me alive and I might still be playing the game today.
My favorite soccer game from high school was during my junior year. Let me back track and sum up all the previous years of our girls varsity soccer program. My freshman year in high school our girls team officially had enough players to be considered a varsity sport. So our first two years were not winning seasons for us. Now we were in our third year and this game was against the Rosecrans Bishops. I'll skip to the first half and tell you the score at halftime was 4-0, we were down. We regrouped during the break and came back out in not the best of hopes for the rest of the game. With in the first 5 minutes of the second half I had scored one goal and assisted another; 4-2. Still a long shot for a win, but we had 40 minutes left to make something of it. 35 seconds left to play, the scores 5-5, and their goalie gets called for a handball outside the box. Before the goalie gets in position the referee signals that the ball is in play. I scored the game winning goal, ended the game with 5 goals, 1 assist and was named athlete of the week. I love thinking about this game whenever I feel that I'm too far behind to make anything out of life, it gives me strength and confidence to keep going.So what is an aspiring Wedding Planner doing in a History and Philosophy of Sport class? Trust me, I am wondering the same thing. This class was on my list of electives and I have heard from some friends that they really enjoyed the class. I found from some of the first readings that I was very interested in the ethics aspect of sport. I think ethics interests me because my dad was a high school athletic director for 13 years. Once I was old enough to understand everything that went into his job, I started to understand why ethics plays such an important role in all sports. I am very nervous about this class though because I don't know much at all about the history of sport. I promise it took me talking to 5 people and looking online for hours to find the 5 events for class the other day. I just don't follow any sporting team or sports in general that closely to know or remember years and times of events. I hope that this wont hinder my learning in this class. If it is going to be something that is imperative for passing this class I guess I will be spending the next months watch ESPN and trying to get caught up! Everything that we are going to be discussing in class is new to me, so bare with me, I am going to do my best to follow along and participate when I can.
I've decided that when I sign off from all my posts I want to leave anyone that reads my blog with a thought for the day. So to quote my favorite musician Dave Matthews,
Hi Kara,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great introductory blog entry! I really enjoyed reading about your sports involvements. Those experiences should help a lot as we proceed through this class. I especially look forward to you contributions to our discussion about soccer history, because we usually get into at least one debate per semester about why soccer is the most popular sport in the rest of the world, but not the U.S.
It is hard not to look back and wonder "what if" you had taken a different route. However, it sounds like you have plenty on your plate at this time. I cannot imagine having the responsibility to help plan someone's wedding. Does it help to watch the movie with Jennifer Lopez? (Probably not:-)
I liked the Dave Matthews line you signed off with as well. People have told me that I would probably like him, since I have always liked similar styles of music.
I look forward to reading more of your entries. Great start!
Dr. Spencer
Kara,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your first post, I think you need to give yourself more credit than you actually do. Playing soccer for all those years is pretty impressive. I can honestly say I do not follow soccer at all. That story, however, is one to remember. You were also player of the week too. For a girl who was not too sure about her five historical events, you have to sport background for sure. Anytime you want to talk about Michael Jordan is fine with me, as well. Also, do not pay too much attention to ESPN. They are turning into the sports version of TMZ. ESPN overreacts to sporting events and news all the time. The Brett Favre coverage is a fine example.
So you want to be a wedding planner? That’s pretty cool career. You are quite the busy person. Your practicum does sound pretty sweet though. I am sure it’s a lot of work but fun. You have to let me in what all a wedding planner does and I will fill you in on the sports world. Good luck and hope the planning goes well!
The one thing I did like about the blog was the DMB quote. Don’t worry I know you are not stealing my ideas at all! (only sarcasm) I am glad to hear you want to try to come to some games. Shaun is our biggest fan and attends a lot of them. I will post them up once the season starts.
Nice comments Nick! I wanted to mention something about ESPN as well. Tonight I heard a speaker who works for ESPN (Jemele Hill), and she said more or less what Nick said--that it seems like ESPN gets stuck on the same topics--what is the latest about Brett Favre, Michael Vick, etc. Interestingly, she thought the emphasis on the same topics was based upon how they were really issues about things other than sport. I found that to be an interesting observation.
ReplyDeleteDr. Spencer- Of course who wouldn't want to be a wedding planner after watching JLO do it in that movie!!!??? :) I really did like that movie, I didn't decide that this is the path I wanted to take until a few years later. Subconsciously, maybe it was always in the back of my mind.
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