Wok & Roll by Peter Kwong, (Frederic) Inter-County Leader
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While the world named the round ball that we kick around “football,” America decided to call it “soccer.” So, after living in North America all these years, soccer it is.
As my family moved to different states because of my career, I was asked to coach the “Little League” soccer team wherever we lived as I do know about the rules of the game and how to play it. Actually, soccer is a simple game, just kick a round ball around and score a point when you get the ball into the opponent’s goal. That’s it, easy and simple.
So, judging by the score of a soccer match, it is easy to figure out what happened. A score of 3-2 means that one team scored three goals and the other team scored two goals. That’s it.
That’s what gave me a headache watching an American football game. Just how do you figure out what happened when the score is 28 to 19? Not being good at math (even though I got a C in calculus in college), I have to take my socks off so I can keep counting after 10. Life is tough, no?
It wasn’t until we moved to Milwaukee that I got serious about coaching the game. Goodness, what to do with a bunch of young and eager girls, 6-7 years old, who know nothing about the game yet are all excited about playing it?
It was just a pastime game then, as we all had nothing better to do. Yet, what has happened in the past few years with the U.S. women’s soccer team just totally changed the image of women’s soccer.
No, it was not just a game that we played for fun. The game is about self-discipline, motivation, teamwork and striving to be the best by giving all you’ve got.
I was honored to be the coach of these young girls and had to catch up with all the rules and practices of the game, which are quite simple. It did take some time to catch up as I haven’t touched a football (soccer ball) since I left Hong Kong.
Well, simple rules indeed — first, you cannot touch the ball with your hands, hence they call it “foot” ball. It’s fine with any part of your body — your head (including the face), your thighs and legs and your feet (of course). But it will be a penalty if your hand ever touches the ball (especially when it is intentional).
So, we will have lessons about different rules of contact first, and then rules on the field. Just what is an offside? It took a while for the young girls to comprehend, but they did learn fast. And then to learn about different positions, and what their roles are.
Yes, the front girls’ job is to pass the opponent’s defense and score, but how? The defensive team is to block any opponent from approaching the goalie, but how? And the midfielders have the toughest job, as their job not only requires the opponents not to reach the defensive line, but also to pass the ball to the front whenever possible so the attackers can score. Or better yet, when the opportunity comes, they have a chance to get a goal.
It took a few games before they caught on how to play the game properly, then the team just got better and better. Somehow, one of the moms thought of a name for the team — “The Hurricanes,” and we became a legend in our league.
In the beginning, all the players would go after the soccer ball and became a ball chaser. Little by little, they all learned how to play their position — how to get the ball, and what to do with the ball afterward. It was a dream to watch how the girls played together without yelling at each other. Somehow, they knew what their teammates were doing, and would anticipate their own moves.
All of a sudden, these little girls were not little anymore. They had all grown in front of my eyes. I was happy and sad at the same time. First the high school graduation, and then off to college. Later, they all started their own families and became soccer moms themselves. Where did time go?
I remember the “good old days,” being the coach of the Hurricanes, as very busy, as I was a consultant and had to do a lot of traveling. But somehow, lucky for our team, I found a partner who would team up with me in coaching through long-distance calls and faxes.
Whenever I was home, we would discuss strategies of the game, and the strengths and weaknesses of each player, and what we could do to help them. When I couldn’t be at the home game, I would fax him my lineup plan for the game, who should be playing forward, who would be in midfield and who would hold the defense.
We would rotate the positions so each girl understood their role and how to coordinate with their teammates. It worked like magic! For the years we were playing, we remained the champions. While each girl carried the title with pride, they never carried the “I’m better than you” attitude. They simply wanted to play well with their teammates and give their very best in every game.
It reminds me so much of my girls when I watch the U.S. women’s soccer games. There are no superstars (even though they know who they are). To score a goal, everyone rejoiced! They score a goal because they work together and take advantage of the opportunity and strike! Oh, how I miss that.
From watching the girls chasing a ball to being able to hold their positions and understanding how to work as a team in order to score. What a precious lesson in life! In this world of “me, I, my and mine,” our girls have learned about “us, we, together and team” through playing soccer (football).
I miss my soccer girls, and hope they’ll all be great soccer moms one day. I know they will.
