Thank Heavens, no soccer phone-calls...

It's a typical Friday night and there I am waiting for the phone to ring. Why ? Well the other coach hasn't called, the ref has yet to confirm and there I am going through the million scenario's of what may happen if that call doesn't arrive.

This is pretty much my story throughout our soccer season, how many Friday's have been spoilt because of my anxiety ? I guess too many, although by my own admission I try to be Mr.Cool more often than I used to be.

Whenever I played you turned up and played, no forms, no confirmations, everything just seemed to muddle through and work out. Now I am involved where there are rules and the stresses are even greater !!! You see not getting a referee can lead to manipulation of the rules that you wouldn't believe. Having a team who has been very succesful with parents who seem to analys every rain cloud and decision that gets made, add to this. Not through any fault of there own, but it certainly does not help. I don't know how some might cope if I said we never had a referee coming. It could be straight-jackets all round !!! I guess if we were a middle of the road team not chasing much it wouldn't matter too much. However being a victim of our own success ensures that every single week we have a BIG game !!! Being such a worrier myself, I send myself into a frenzy of imagining a volunteer ref from the other team cheating horrendously, a mob of parents shaking their fists and carrying torches and pitch-forks, a team full of players in tears and a team torn apart by the failure of others who are supposed to make the calls and help us out.

None of this is realistic of course, but it doesn't help me one iota to know it's a possibility. That is why it was so wonderful this weekend with no games, no calls, no worry. For the first time in 12 weeks I feel like myself again and do you know what. I love it :-)

Here's to a LONG, RELAXING winter without a non-recieved phone call ruling my life :-)