An Oasis in the Snow

For those of you who read my last post, you'll know the immediate Denver Metro Area received 12-24" of snow earlier this month depending on location.  You'll also know that it hasn't been warm here since, so a lot of that snow is still around.

Which brings me to this past weekend's tournament.  I figured there was trouble when the tweets started going out on Friday morning that the schedule was "in flux."  Uh oh.  But why?  The forecast was fine, and all the fields we were scheduled are turf - surely they are plowed and ready to go?

NOPE.

So what was supposed to be 3 games on Saturday for me (2 AR, 1 CR) became 3 'short' (2x30 min) AR games for me on Sunday (my original CR game was moved to when I was not available).  Sigh.

So here's our oasis in the snow:

Oasis in the Snow - Feb 19

The good news as a result of my changes is I worked with one of our area's mentors (Grade 6 verge of Grade 5 I think).  The games ranged from U14 to U18 boys.  He has a higher 'bar' so to speak when calling fouls.  He had one non-call in his first game that generated some good discussion as I (trailing AR), he, the "lead" AR, and the 4th all had different perspectives on what happened and what we would've called!  The 'call' was on a corner kick header by the attacking team.  I saw a kid run from 10 yards and have his elbows flying when he contacted the defender (and kind of the ball).  So there was too much "in" and not enough "up" for me - i.e. I would've called a foul against the attacker.  The lesson learned, as always, is a) be in the correct position, b) wait a second or two (unless it is really obvious) to see if there's an aftermath so to speak and c) call your game.

Otherwise, my foot and knee appear sufficiently healed to work the season.  We have two weeks until the next tournament (that is if we can ever get any warm weather in here to get the snow melted!).  So I can focus on my fitness and be ready to get back into the Center.

Guess we can't follow the Euro league schedule after all

One point of discussion regarding the MLS is, should the MLS season follow the Euro league schedules?  That is, start play in August and end in May.  For the Northeastern and Eastern Canada teams, that would mean the potential for some brutally cold games in Dec/Jan.

Well, to an extent our season in Colorado is active year round except for December.  That's correct, we do have outdoor tournaments in January (albeit friendlies), then small tournaments in February, then our season kicks off in March.  We have post season tournaments in May and June, some summer friendlies in July, then preseason in August, and then the Fall regular season that lasts until November since inevitably there's going to be snow outs in October.

Our January friendlies went well.  Indeed, the weather was nice (but not atypical for the Front Range).  Then old man winter struck.

Snow in inches in Denver Metro area Feb 2 - Feb 4 storm

We don't receive warm rains in February like the east coast, and chinook winds are generally a January phenomenon.  So when that much snow falls this time of the year, it's going to stick around.  Stick around it has.  For the foreseeable future, the games are limited to turf fields.  Some foothill/mountain communities of course need the turf fields; otherwise, they wouldn't play until May.

Last weekend a girls U-14 tournament was played.  The kickoff temperature on Saturday morning was +9F.  You read that right.  9 degrees above zero Fahrenheit.  I was not involved in that tournament.

So I get started this weekend with 3 games at a preseason tournament - turf fields of course.  I've spent most of my off-season healing my left foot and knee.  I stayed in shape the best I can (even skied), but I'd prefer to be in better running shape.  I'm ready and excited to get going!