nagano soccer

Well this is long over due but I was waiting for pictures from someone who had said they would make sure we all got them. At this point said person has not delivered and so I will post other pictures that I have swiped off of some of the girls facebook pages.

So soccer...we went to Nagano to compete in an ALT soccer tournament. In the past the Niigata girls had done quite well and despite having hardly ever played the game I was fairly confident that the other teams were in the same boat. WRONG. Our team had maybe four experienced soccerettes but perhaps due to not a single practice we were all lacking in stamina. We ended up at the bottom of the heap with many bruises and sore muscles but at least we were as far as possible on the board from the hated saitama team. I have discovered through this experience that I am not really a foot-ball type person but much more a hand-ball person. I pulled my quad early on in the first game and assumed the heavy responsibility of goal keeper. Goalie is like a combo of volleyball and rugby so I was in my groove, although I did let some goals in. It was a good time being surrounded by people who speak English and enjoying the beautiful weather and Nagano scenery. Just made me realize how out of shape I am though.

Good to be back in the blue and white smurf colours of basketball days. I still have my snap off pant somewhere!

Suppose to be the tough team shot but some people didn't get the memo.


The boys and their ugly uniforms (sorry guys everyone is in consensus). Tom won the day with his broken nose but I got quite a few gold winning bruises.