So, my season could be over early. Had my first pre-season game today on the muddiest pitch ever as the snow recently melted (this was in Northern New York) and literally, first 3 minutes into the game, a defender on my team attempts a lobbed through ball which could either be going to me or my striking partner, I knew it was for me, we all did on our team as we practice this where we go up towards the half way line before faking and getting away.
Well, anyway, I cant run fast in the first place and the mud makes me slower and the defender marking me realizes to late the ball is for me so he scrambles towards me with some great pace, I kick the ball forward, he tackles me and has his studs hit my ankle. I fall to the ground, ankle in massive pain (there is a hole in my sock!) and my entire right side of my body is covered in mud. I play on thankfully and the defender got a red card but my god, my ankle was killing me.
Then, literally 5 minutes later we are all in the box, I slip in the mud as the ball is being sent in from a corner and as I am trying to get up someones cleat smashes into my right cheek! I let out the biggest scream I have ever given out in my life, play is stopped and thankfully after the doc came on it was seen that it was just a scratch but that is was planted hard and thus why I screamed. Anyway, since it was an opposition player who tripped me up and then planted his foot in my cheek we earn a penalty.
I took the penalty and scored but in the process hurt my ankle even more. The first injury I mentioned above was about my right ankle and I shoot with my right foot and I was a bit angry with how the opposition were playing so I decide to go for a power shot towards the left side and thus injured myself more.
I lasted 12 more minutes before coming off. I went straight to a local doctors office and then I was sent back to my doctor where I was told I have to wear a brace for two-weeks... basically the rest of pre-season. And this is my final season as I am 18 next month and there are two younger kids - 15 and 16 respectivly - training with us from the U16 level (the 15 year old scored 27 goals last season apparently from the U16 level and has trained with the Red Bulls U16 Academy side proper before.
So ya, what a start! 17 minutes, a goal, a giant scratch on my face, and 2-weeks out after 1 game! WOOOOOO!
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