My youngest was sick all weekend with a sore throat, earaches, and the sleeplessness that accompanies such symptoms.
But would that keep her from playing futsol Sunday?
No way.
For those who have known Julia as a sweet little girl, it's probably time to make an update to her file. She is a tough, competitive athlete.
I've been a bit slow to accept what has been unfolding before my eyes, probably because as hard as I try not to be, I am still a traditional male who expects females to be more like, well, our culture expects women to be. And that rarely has been physically competitive people.
Before yesterday's game started, the woman who coaches Julia's soccer team came over and spoke with me in the stands. "I can see she is sick, and I could see it Thursday at practice, yet she insists on playing. It reminds me of last fall, when she had that badly twisted ankle, all swollen and bruised and I offered to tape it for her. I also told her she had the option of not playing. She smiled and looked at me and said, 'That is not an option. I love to play.'"
Yesterday, sick, she played and did so brilliantly. Although always a defender, her futsol coach put her at left forward. She played 15 minutes and put four hard shots on goal.
She is just learning futsol and just learning how to play offense.
I expect some goals in the weeks ahead.