Moral Support

This column (originally posted on Friday) kinda sucked. So I'll condense it down to the highlights:

Day 1.

206 lbs. (unverified, I’ll check at the gym)

Today begins my quest to make the LA Galaxy. By my calculations, this gives me 21 days to lose 11 pounds (unlikely to occur), and get myself ready to perform for LA Galaxy coaches.

The LA Galaxy Goalkeeper Coach was my Stanford University Goalkeeper Coach.

Shit.

When I first started to play soccer, I was a decent field player.

My first team was almost named "The Bubbles," and my two coaches got in a fistfight during a game. I wasn’t there, but I was told it was very weak.

I barely made my HS varsity team, and never played. At Stanford, I noticed the Varsity team had a problem during my sophomore year. Their No. 1 keeper was graduating, and their No. 2 keeper was without a backup. Because every college team needs at least two goalkeepers to practice, I saw an opening, and I gunned for it.

Without so much as an afterthought, my position changed from “DNP – Coach’s Decision” to “GK.”

But as it turned out, Goalkeeper was the perfect position for me. My lack of speed was a non-issue, my ability to read plays paramount, and my legitimately good hand-eye coordination essential. For once, I was good, and I convinced the coaches I could be a positive force on the team. I need to be that wild card – the guy who will pump up the team – the guy they don’t count on. I need to be that rebel, that Spencer of old, that guy with no expectations and high energy.

But with a coach that knows me, I’m not sure that can happen.

Here goes nothing.