It’s been a little over a week since my knee surgery and I am already coaching soccer again! Don’t know if that is a good thing but I can’t help myself. About a month ago, I made a commitment to a group of ladies that I would show up every Thursday to the homeless shelter where they are living at in Brooklyn. I had to miss last week because of my surgery but I was able to limp on over there tonight.

I’m so glad I did because I got to show a new player, who had never touched a soccer ball, the fundamentals of soccer. But more importantly I asked her to “Play With Heart”, one of our Street Soccer USA skills, and she gave it her best with a smile on her face the whole time! She kept saying how much fun it was and how glad she was to have given soccer a chance. I am so surprised she had fun because it was just me and her as I limped after the ball. She actually showed some real skill and has huge potential to be our Street Soccer NYC striker at the National Cup in San Francisco this year!

I know I should have probably not been out there passing and trapping the ball with her but it’s hard to hold back when I have the chance to make someone’s day a little bit brighter. My motivation to rehab my knee and get back on the field was fueled tonight by my friend’s new found love of the game.

She asked if soccer was my life and I could easily say without a doubt that it is. I am so excited to combine a new found passion of mine, cycling, with soccer and see what happens. Right now the bike is the best type of physical therapy I can do and if I plan on lasting 2 months straight with 60-100 miles stages well then I better get on that stationary bike tomorrow!