Why I love Thursdays

Today was the first game of our spring season outdoor soccer league. It's April in Chicago so naturally it was 30 degrees, windy, and rainy. As I took the field, my two shirts were already soaked through, my thighs chapped and red, and my hands were frozen and puffy. Yet, I was still thrilled to play. I was excited and ready and had that nervous feeling in my stomach, the same nervous feeling I would get before all big games. For us ex-collegiate athletes, there is no greater feeling than returning to the game you love. You are usually a step slower, a skill set off the mark but still passionate as ever to play the game. This is why I love Thursdays. Do I regret missing the Office and LOST? Hardly. Because every Thursday night, I'm getting to re-live at least an hour of glory, pretending to be that cocky upperclassmen again, juking girls on the field and making big plays. For a few moments, I get to enjoy being part of team, bonding over victories and agonizing over defeats. We celebrate goals like we've never scored them before and we point fingers and curse when the other team scores. We get T-shirts. We go out for beers after the game and examine every play and theorize over different set ups for next week. And that is why I love Thursdays. Game days.

And for the record, we won 2-0.