First Athletic Matches of the Year

When describing student life to the new faculty during orientation, the dean of students mentioned athletic matches last year had been a phenomenal success in creating a fun boarding school experience. She said that school spirit was a true spectacle and the students were ready to support their school, even though it was less than a year old. It was because of these reviews that, when the day of the first athletic matches of the year arrived, that I was among the first spectators to arrive for the JV boys soccer game. Before I describe the game and my reactions, I'll mention first that the game was scheduled to begin at 5:45 and end at 6:45, exactly when the sun was setting! When I arrived the soccer field at around 5:35, I found both teams, King's Academy and Amman Baccalaureate School, already assembled and in uniform. What I didn't find, however, was any place for spectators to sit and watch the game. I therefore walked around the King's Academy side of the field looking either for a patch of turf or clean sidewalk to sit on. While I was doing this, however, I was also observing the KA team's warm up session. This was when I really started to worry because I was expecting to see all the players either running their drills together or at least standing in a circle and stretching together. Instead, I saw the majority of the players simply standing on one side of the field while a group of four or five players were running up down the sidelines. I say "running" but I really mean to say that they were simply moving at different paces, just some more quickly than others. Indeed, I didn't see any clear team unity and there were only about seven spectators, including myself, who had shone up. But just about five minutes before the game, those same five or six spectators left the field and walked up the gym. Before I could panic, however, I saw them on the horizon again, only this time with benches in hand and a mob of students behind them. Now, it looked like I was going to see some school spirit but what could I expect to see from a soccer team consisting mostly of students who were fasting during the day, playing just before sunset?! When five minutes had passed after the official starting time the school nurse sitting next to me asked me when the game was going to start. When I turned from her to check the status of the players I was shocked!! Just a few minutes before I seen the players just loitering on the field in no specific arrangement. But now I saw all the players on both side in position, each with a look of focus and determination on his face. And with that the game began. Now, I had never really seen a live game of soccer before so I really didn't know what to expect. But within minutes of the game starting I was starting to think that soccer might just be the most amazing game to watch, though in truth this was partly because the JV game was using a smaller field that condensed the action of the game as a result. But nevertheless I was truly amazed by what I was seeing. The King's academy offense charging against the opposing team, all the while exhibiting great hustle, ball handling, and team work. The team work was what really impressed me. With only about a week and half of real practice behind them (soccer cuts had only been finalized by that point), I was expecting each player to try to make a name for himself and try to run the ball from one side of the field to another. Instead, I saw some of the best passing that I have ever seen, though as I said before I haven't really seen many soccer games in my life. But I really do mean when I say that the passing was excellent. Unfortunately, I really don’t think I know enough about soccer lingo to describe much more than that. However, I will say the game ended in a tie with a score of 4:4. Despite the fact that each team had players who were fasting, there was high energy throughout the entire match. A little more on school spirit though. The spectators at the JV boy's game were in fact spirited but they really only yelled or applauded when a goal was scored. The school spirit at the Varsity boy's game at 8:30, however, was a different story completely. Under stadium lights and refreshed by the day's Iftar (meal at sunset) the students were absolutely ecstatic. Clapping and cheering on the sideline, with one student playing some sort of a rhythmic tribal beat on his bongo thingamagig. So in the end the athletic matches of the day had everything I had expected and more. Unfortunately I'm on duty tonight so I won't be able to see the first cross country meet of the year but I'm sure I can't wait to see more games this year.