Catching up...a little

The most notable difference between playing in Santa Cruz and Princeton is the quality of fields. It was not until now that I realize how pampered playing on those fields week after week makes you. Watered regularly with grounds crews tending to them and their divots. Even the upper fields with swamp patches are head and shoulders above all of our practice fields.

Washington Rd. -
Hard, hard, and harder. Splotchy grass and more dirt than green grass. Can't where turfs because they slide like old hightops on hardwood. Cleats just hurt your feet after 4 hours, but atleast they grab the crabgrass on pivots.

Mercer -
The rolling hills of Mercer County. I surprised we haven't had more injuries playing there. It just isn't fair to expect a receiver to run up and down hills at full speed and not fall over. Evidence Spanish on a wide open huck just laying on the ground in the endzone. Stoopid.

Edgely -
It is what it is. It rained yesterday before summer league and just ended up with more solidifying concrete characteristics. It doesn't get muddy, it just sets.

Hence my most recent injury. While our team was discussing whether one of my hucks was goal worthy I simply fell over about half field. Bingo...bango, a hole is there to thwart my habit of walking upright. Now a mildly sprained ankle forces me to adjust the workout schedule 'cause it needs that rest.

This moves into the pros and cons of playing summer league. The possiblity of injury worries me. Players who range from complete novices to a couple of club players is dangerous. You never know when you are going to find some punk college kid who wants to prove himself against the local talent. I know, cause I've always been that kid. They make agressive layouts and play ridiculously hard when I'm simply there to drink, catch upline dumps, and throw hospital passes into the endzone. The first injury of the season was non-contact, but potential of collision related injuries frightens me.

There are some good things about SL though. I love having somewhere to go, throw a disc around for a couple of hours, and then open a cooler of beer. I have a hard time thinking of many ways I would prefer to spend a summer evening. I also still enjoying teaching the basics of the game to people who want to learn. I don't get frustrated by people who want to learn the game. I was happy teaching a basic offense, cutting, and timing in our game last night. I couldn't care less if we win or lose, I just want others to learn. Isn't that so heartfelt.

On that note, we have a complete rookie woman on our team who stands is going to be a bright point on our season. For those of you who know my long time friend Lauren, it is her little sister Kelly. We recruited her b/c we had the potential of winning free shit if we brought in a novice woman. I like free shit and I like raffles, alas I won nothing.

I got to witness someone who didn't know the rules and regulations that bog some many people down about ultimate. She just knows sports. She knows how open spaces works, and how to not let someone else keep her from doing what she wants. She knows how to assert herself in a given situation. She is coming in with the fundamental desire to just WANT the disc. She caught more open in-cuts, and swings than the women who had been playing for years, cause she was simply assertive.

It is just one of those things I love about ultimate. If you just have no fear of getting yourself into a game, you can dictate things on a field. She did it and it was her first time ever on a field. This bodes well for the rest of the season. High fun potential.

Oh yeah, and I dug a new garden for my mom. Fresh tomatoes, eggplant, and habaneroes coming this fall at a table near me.