Having been a High School Football player, we always considered the soccer guys weak. After all in the US its not exactly a glamour sport, growing up I never saw it on television, except maybe the World Cup and that was about it. But I still had friends that played and would always tell me its an endurance sport and it can be exciting, whatever, I didn't believe them.
Then I went to college and played Rugby, now I would say this is an endurance sport and you still get to hit people, soccer is still for girls and babies. And of course how is there any excitement in a game that a goes back and forth for an hour and a half and 1-0 isn't a rare final.
Well this year, sitting around on a day off my roommates and I tuned into the UEFA Champions League Finals, probably the first soccer game I ever watched from start to finish, and boy was that impressive. The momentum swings, the close goals, overtime and then finally deciding the game on penalty kicks, I actually got excited.
Next came the UEFA European Championships and more excitement. Whether it was Turkey and Russia making their Cinderella run, unfortunately Turkey's run ended today, or The Netherlands putting up more goals than I could imagine in a soccer game, the tournament has been exciting. And I do plan on watching in its entirety the second semifinal tomorrow as well as the final.
Now I'm still a casual fan, don't know the names of the great players, but the control some of these people have on crossing shots and headers is very impressive. The mind-boggling saves or the shots hooking in towards the goal have been exciting examples of great skill. The display of athletic ability overall has been immeasurable.
Soccer, for me anyway, will probably never pass Football, Baseball or Hockey, but it has a chance to make a run at Basketball. And I think its up and coming status in the United States has been very impressive as well. I might never actually even pick a team to follow, but I will continue to watch when it is on that is for sure.
So UEFA Champions League and UEFA European Championships, thank you for making me into a fan of this great game. The athletic ability is something to be amazed by and I look forward to watching it in the future. And hopefully this international game can lead the way for Rugby to one day crack the American stage as well.
Chelsey Buhler
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