(I'm the guy in the GREEN) Tuesday night, my challenge came to LIFE big time!! This is what I envisioned when I began this whole experience. It all started out last month when I heard about a new Major League Lacrosse team coming to Charlotte called the Charlotte Hounds. So I thought what better way to learn about it than to actually email them directly and say "help me learn it". I was quickly emailed back by the Director of Sales and Marketing, Wade Leaphart, who then connected me with a guy named Doug Little. Doug is on the advisory council for the Hounds and is director of the South Charlotte Old Guys (SCOG) Lacrosse Club. You can find them at:
www.scoglacrosse.com. Doug not only invited me out to play with the SCOG's but personally found what I was doing interesting enough to give me and my friend Jason an hour long lesson to get ready. This is the first event this summer that I was a little nervous but the nerves quickly went away along with every bit of sweat I had in my body since I chose to participate on the first 100 degree day this summer! Doug drilled me in the fundamentals of holding and cradling the lacrosse stick as well as throwing, catching and scooping up the balls. He also gave Jason and I a good education in offense and defense, which is similar to basketball. I felt comfortable with what he was telling me until he asked if we have brought our protective cups!! Then I got nervous again! Then came the equipment. I had to wear a protective helmet, elbow pads, gloves, and shoulder pads....all in this HEAT!!! So I felt a little like a mascot walking around disoriented in a theme park. Then came GAME TIME! Doug encouraged me to start by watching on the sidelines and then line up to sub in whenever I was ready. I'm not sure I was ever ready, but I stepped up and one of the guys from my team needed a sub and I was in! I clearly started out looking like a chicken with my head cut off on that field. I not only had to orient myself on the field but try to run with all this equipment on me. However, with that said, the guys were nothing but helpful and coached me up while I was running in circles. I had two passes to me in the first half and I missed them both which led to the ball on the ground and a mad scramble to scoop it up and a turnover for me. I just wasn't aggressive enough to go after it. I quickly subbed out of the game with my heart pounding out of my chest. Thank goodness for subs! I stood on the sidelines and watched my friend Jason, who used to teach with me, as he was learning the game for the first time as well. He mixed in very well and was doing a great job completing catches and passing the ball around. Doug started counting down the time toward the end of the half as I was dripping wet from sweat. I took my helmet and gloves off and sat down to rest. The second half was a different story for me. Even though I still looked a little or a LOT out of place on the field, I began to breathe a little and take my time to think though things. I slowed down enough to successfully catch both of the passes made to me and even had a clear shot at the goal in the final quarter. I really had no business taking that shot but it was there and I was wide open and I did it. No, I missed it wide but I had the opportunity. The game came to an end. I peeled my equipment off of my body and was completely in awe of this game and the guys who play it. Thanks SCOG's and Hounds!
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