Wait… people play sports for fun?
March 31, 2009

PSFK tipped me off to this upcoming documentary titled The Soccer Project. The premise is simple, four individuals including three former NCAA Div. 1 players set across the globe to partake in pick-up football games across the world. It was a pretty interesting watch to see the raw emotion that football evokes around the world. I grew up playing soccer as a little kid thanks largely in part to my dad's influence who to this day still kicks around whenever he can at over half a century old. I sort of got the chills watching The Soccer Project Trailer, not sure why but maybe it was the fact that rarely do you see football showcased in a grassroots video format, away from the lights of bright stadiums and hundred-thousand a month British Pound contracts. I was never really all that good at football but good enough to play at a good university level in Canada and eventually make my way to Hong Kong to play in the 1st Division. If I was good I wouldn't be stuck playing in Hong Kong that's for sure haha. Regardless, looking back it's been nearing two years since I played any form of truly competitive football and while I do miss it at times, not all that much. How could I go from pretty much training/playing 5-6 times a week to stopping cold turkey? I sort of realized that throughout much of my childhood, much of the time I spent with my pops involved football in one way or another. In retrospect, I soon realized most of the reason why I played was for my dad haha. My hopes and aspirations to succeed was shit I had hoped my dad could reap the benefits and feel proud for. Neglected childhood... not really. For better or worse, that's how I treated football I guess, wasn't really for me as much as it was to actually succeed at something that I was ok at as well as for the ol' man. I have no problems admitting that cause it was my dad after all. Back to The Soccer Project, I really wish I could approach things the same way as many of the people depicted. There is a genuine love of the game, not so much for the final score-line but to have the chance and ability to play the game as is, something I may have lacked. Maybe I missed the bigger picture in the grand scheme of things. I always approached sports as either you fucking win or just don't play at all. Essentially, sports are never fun for me unless I win haha. It's pretty much an f-bomb fest whenever I play sports. But with this cut-throat mentality, you just don't really relax and you don't really derive much pleasure cause you're constantly on edge worrying about the outcome, and only one outcome really matters and that's the W.

With that I leave you with highlights of one of my favorite documented memories. Back in 2004 (shit it's coming on 5 years), I came back during the summer to round out the end of the season for a team that had gone through some management issues and was comprised of fill-in youth players all 21 and under. I got handed the gloves to play against one of Hong Kong's most storied clubs in South China Athletic Association (who have now become the Chelsea... or should I say the Man City of HK Football). They were in a relegation battle so the game actually meant something. Final score line was 2-1 including a sketchy penalty but that was expected I guess, we weren't supposed to really get any points out of it in addition to be relegation bound anyways.

-Eugene (Twitter | flickr)

uhhh yeh lots of fans eh haha

I was hoping to put my knee through somebody's face pretty much.

This was probably the stop I was most surprised I made cause the ball came across the box and I essentially Peter Schmeichal star-fished (2:59) myself haha.

These days are long gone but they were good while they lasted. Oh yeh, I'm pretty sure the only reason I got stuck in goal was cause I got fat when I was like 11-12 years old. Too fat to run so you throw him in goal obviously.

-Eugene (Twitter)