Monday, April 22, 2024
With Kevin off to school, we spent our morning lounging about in the Contreras family desert compound much to our delight.
Of course, it was not all fun and games as I had work to do in my roll as the Varese Skorpions Video Analyst Coach.
The IFL's Battle of the Undefeated, Ancona Dolphins (5-0) at Varese Skorpions (5-0), is looming just two weeks ahead, thus, I spent most of my morning breaking down two of the Dolphins game videos vs. the Lazio Marines and the Bologna Warriors, via the miracle of the HUDL app.
I was then able to add those two breakdowns to the other three Ancona games that I had worked on in past weeks to come up with a series of cut-ups for every down and distance, pass and run and field situation that Varese Head Coach Nick Holt had requested at the start of this venture last year.
When it was all said and done, I sent all of the Skorpion players and coaches ten Kicking Game, 30 Offensive and 31 Defensive cut-ups of what the Dolphins have done this season in virtually every football situation that you can imagine.
Laborious but it is actually fun, keeps me mentally in the game and off of the mean streets of Camarillo and Las Vegas.
Finally, it was time.
We packed into the car and headed to today's much anticipated Canarelli Middle School Colts soccer game.
The venue for the Duel in the Desert
Faiss Middle School
Home of the Flyers
When the two schools met on April 2nd at Canarelli M.S., the Colts dominated 9-0.
Grandson Kevin takes the field under
the watchful eye of his dapper coach
Nice touch by the coach providing shade for one of his players, it was a balmy, breezy 89°F at the start of the 5:15 pm game.
Kevin played well over half the game today as a defender.
Chasing down the ball with
GIANT #15 in pursuit
Getting into the quintessential, athletic
Quarter Eagle stance on the move
Showing off his soccer skills . . .
. . . with this pass
Sprinting to get the ball out of
the defensive end of the field
This could be problematic
Kevin would battle with the
Flyers #15 most of the game
Racing to the ball
Good recovery Kevin!
On the move again
At the Halftime break, the highly skilled Colts were cruising with a 7-0 lead.
The battle for the ball continued
in earnest in the Second Half
Despite the score, both clubs admirably played a highly spirited game in the Second Half.
He continued to pester . . .
. . . the Flyers at every turn
WHAT A VERTICAL JUMP!
For me, this was Kevin's best moment
The Colts back-up Goalie had just allowed the Flyers a goal and was despondent.
Kevin was the only Colt to take the time to go over and console him to keep his spirits up.
Being a good person and great teammate are such important attributes that sports can both help build and reveal.
One-on-One with #15 again
Kevin stole the ball . . .
. . . but at a price . . .
. . . DOWN GOES KEVIN!
No harm done but it was properly called a foul. The Flyer showed good sportsmanship in helping Kevin up, the contact was incidental in my opinion.
Booting the ball down the field
Different Flyer, same problem, STOP HIM!
I'm loving Kevin's teammates hairstyle
If I had hair, it would be my look too.
Outsized but gaining position
to the elusive ball
Lots of running today in search
of his 10,000 daily steps
Two-on-One
Didn't all of the great Running Backs
at Syracuse wear #44?
Successfully deflecting a final
goal attempt by the Flyers
The Colts improved to 7-3-1 on the year after beating the Flyers, 8-2.
After the game, the Colts Coach singled out only one athlete, Kevin, for " . . . playing with great heart today."
AWESOME!
It was a GREAT DAY TO BE A COLT, so there was only one thing left to do.
Mexican Food for Dinner!
Roberto's serves the absolute best adobada wet burrito in the greater Pacific Southwest.
It was the perfect way to end a perfect day of soccer.
It's great being a grandparent!
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