Journey to playing soccer

             Ronaldo!   Messi!    Pagiamtzis!   (that sound great!)


             It was my first time playing since I was 14 years old and I had made a decision to play soccer one again.  I had painful memories playing soccer in grade school, playing defence and having goal scored against me. Fast forward to 2016 and I was ready for a comeback!

   I recently download an app called Open Sports that list sports events that happen in the Toronto area.

      It was Monday August 1st (holiday in Toronto) and found a soccer game being played a King Circle at the University of Toronto ( Harbord and College)

     I had remembered that my younger brother had some soccer shoes from his days of playing, went searching and I found them! had to make do some cleaning and minor changes to then, even had some soccer shins.
             

soccer shoes and shins

      I headed to the destination and when I go there there were soccer players everywhere!

    Quickly introduced myself to Alicia (organizer) and was on a team.

   
      We had team huddle to figure who was playing which positions. I offered to play forward on the left side. 

        It was GAME ON! 

         We played a 7 minute games to give everyone a chance to play. With less than 1 minute to play I scored a goal with my left foot and I more shocked, surprised and happy!

           In the second game I scored my 2nd goal with my right foot now I super excited and feeling like a true soccer player. My team mates are saying "time to go for the hat trick"

        We tried and kicked, head butted and tried my  hardest but couldn't get the third

      In the end it was an awesome morning of fun I mentioned to one of my team mates that this my first time playing soccer since I was 14 years old and thought I should retire after this. He says "are you kidding your on hot streak, you can retire at the end of the summer!"

   I agreed so let's continue on this journey!

                            

winning team

                  I was a Pacific Mall later in the day at Steeles and Kennedy where I stopped by a poster of Messi and couldn't resist taking a picture with the amazing soccer player of the 21st Century

  

Jim Pagiamtzis much taller and talent than MESSI

           Moral of the story: Never give on your dreams, they will  become reality little later in your life is still a great thing to celebrate