Comments on: That’s Gonna Leave A Mark

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:48:55 +0000

I had never played between the sticks in 30+ years of playing, and in my adult rec league last summer I chose to take my turn in the barrel. As the game started, I was playing pretty well, but I gave up an early goal to a college-age kid (I am, ahem, over 40. . .) who made a mockery of our defense and cracked a great shot that I had no chance of stopping. As play resumed, our opponents took control at midfield and began to advance down the right wing. They quickly looped a cross to the left and I came off my line to challenge the shooter. As I did, I heard a tremendously loud POP–players at the other end of the field heard the POP, that’s how loud it was–and fell flat on my face just outside the 6-yard box. At first, I thought I had snapped the laces on my new cleats and I immediately looked down to check if my laces were still intact. They were, and I next thought that I had blown out my knee. As I was laying on the ground surrounded by players from both sides, I wiggled my lower legs back and forth to make sure that my knees were OK. I grabbed one of the hands that were extended in front of me and stood up, only to find that my left leg was really wobbly and I couldn’t balance on it very well. My left foot was flopping around freely and I knew then that something was seriously wrong.

At the ER, the doc on site told me I had torn my achilles tendon without doing anything except removing my shoe and sock–there was no tendon in the back of my leg, literally, it wasn’t where it should be. I had surgery to repair the tear 3 days later, and spent the next 2 months in a cast, and 3 more months in a boot. A year on, I am finally back to a state where I can run and cut.

By: Darren

Darren — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:49:35 +0000

Was playing left back, stole the ball off the stiker and went around him, heading to the the byline. Look up, see my striker making a run, and kick it to him. Unfortunatly, my left foot doesn’t kick as consitently as my right, and went right out of bounds beside me. Frustrated, I put my head down and then realized they were taking a quick throwin. So I start running back as the ball is sailing over my head with a striker beside me. Look forward and a teammate is coming head on to clear the ball, so I run beside him to give him room to clear it. Next thing I know, I am on my knees with my top front 4 teeth touching the top of my mouth. Got elbowed by my own teammate. It was ugly I tell you.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 27 May 2009 02:49:47 +0000

My only legitimate injury, requiring surgery, was sustained the first game of my senior year. I’m not sure how it happened or the point of impact, but I do recall running and noticing that my thumb was flopping around. Apparently I broke my thumb joint, and although it is nearly the smallest bone in your body, it is quite important. Fortunately I didn’t miss a game that season as I was armed with a soft cast/club.

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Tue, 26 May 2009 06:54:30 +0000

Played football (american) and baseball in HS. Wasnt till after I had to quit playing them ue to shoulder issues that I picked up footy to actually play. Played keeper as I was crap on the ball and couldn’t play anywhere bt the back line, but was quick, could jump and block the decent shot or two. One time jumping for a top striker caught the ball, but it took my arm with it, dislocating my shoulder and me dropping the ball into the net. Ouch, for my morale and my arm.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 25 May 2009 16:55:48 +0000

It sounded like a snapping rubber band…I tried to convince myself it was the worst cramp of my life…it was a torn calf muscle…5 months later I was back on the pitch. At a pinch away from 40 I play every game like it is the last, and I feel every it Monday…but can’t wait for the next Sunday to play again.

By: Dan

Dan — Sun, 24 May 2009 07:06:05 +0000

It seemed like only yesterday but it was probably over ten years ago. I had made it a personal goal to come out of retirement and take up old man soccer. Having worked myself back into, what I thought was, Soccer shape again. I played a full 90 minute match, running, kicking, and sliding like a man reborn. Clearly the passing of time had rekindled a passion for playing that had been shuttered by work, family, and a mortgage. However, the day following my come-back game would reveal that my body had not missed a single day of growing older. I hobbled into work the next day, feeling certain that multiple bones in each foot had somehow been shattered, and that I must have contracted some kind of internal flesh eating disease that only fed on muscle and joint tissue. Workmates laughed at the old “Little Engine” who thought he still could. The old “Little Engine” still can….it’s just that I need a little Ibuprofen mixed in with the coal once in a while.

By: Marlon

Marlon — Sat, 23 May 2009 12:43:09 +0000

I’m only 21 so this wasn’t all that bad, but this past December my left ankle pretty much exploded during an indoor game. My team was absolutely ruling some poor fools, they couldn’t score on us at all, and I went zooming past one of their defenders for an over head ball, except I went too fast and tried to switch directions, and then it was in front of me and I tried to switch directions again… well my left ankle wasn’t keeping up with the rest of me. It wrenched and sprained in the most painful way and I was on the ground cursing for awhile. The next morning, when it had swelled to the size of a melon, I got taken to the hospital and given a lot of vicodin. I’ve mostly healed now, but I still feel tension in the ankle sometimes. I was well enough in the Spring to play in every game of my intramural team’s championship run.

By: Houssem

Houssem — Sat, 23 May 2009 09:13:34 +0000

I’m “still” 25 and play in goal eversince the other boys noticed I couldn’t do anything with the ball in my feet, and have been lucky enough to only suffer a sprained wrist from stopping a direct free kick during a college tournament (sprained fingers are not worth mentioning). The guy who took the free kick was famous all over the campus for his cannonballs, and I knew I had to stop that one if we were to go to the next round. As I flew towards the ball, I smiled because I knew I was going to get my hand on it, but the impact literaly bent my hand 90° against my forearm. First reflex was of course to look if it had gone in, but after 5 minutes and a horribly swollen wrist, I had to stop. Best save of my life though !