It took a few weeks, but I’ve finally recovered and got back to coaching in all its glory. The hallucinations have ceased, headaches are a thing of the past, and I’m out in the fresh air once more. I never thought I’d enjoy running cone road as much as I did on one of my return sessions.
To ease back into things after a few weeks off, we had an all-day tournament to attend. Around 9 hours in all, in temperatures in the upper 30’s. We had kids from the sites we coach at compete in their respective brackets, with the U13 girls winning their group. Alongside the kids, the Fundlife coaches also participated in an adult’s tournament, with Jamie and me joining the men’s open. Due to everything running on Filipino timings, there was a lot of waiting around, seeing us play just three 15 minute matches over 9 hours. With four pitches available, on average two were in use, with two empty for most of the time. The fixtures took a very, very long time to get through.
Having drawn our first game, somehow successful in the second, and a default win in the third due to a team forfeiting, we were in the final. After being told it would be between two and three hours before the final would take place, we went for a drink at a nearby café. Around 45 minutes later, we get a call saying we are one. A quick dash back in the E-trike, another half hour wait or so, and we were on.
It did not go well. At all. We played the team who are top in the region, and gave a good account of ourselves for the first five minutes or so keeping the score level. There was an incident off the field requiring an ambulance, and after about 15 minutes the final resumed in near darkness, lessened only slightly by two feint floodlights. Just as the light had faded, so did our team.
Their first was through a fortunate deflection. I cost our team another goal by forgetting how to think with the ball at my feet, and Jamie gifted one after being startled by the sight of the ball, leaning out of the way, hands clasped up to the face. To be fair it was extremely dark by this point, and natural reactions kicked in. In the end it basically came down to who ate the most carrots, and had nothing whatsoever to do with our footballing abilities.
(Difficult walk from the pitch)
(Post-match commiseration talk)
Apart from the upset of the tournament, it’s been coaching as usual. With nine sites to choose from to attend each day, it keeps things fresh so things are never boring. One of the most scenic, is Anibong. With a gathering of enthusiastic kids and a picturesque backdrop such as below, it is always a pleasure to coach at. You have to remind yourself sometimes to keep an eye on the session, and not get wanderlust at picturing what lies beyond the mountains ahead.
