The Dodging Game

8- No Pain No Gain

It was about half way trough the second half when the game really got heated.

Justin was running on his last energy reserves. To make things worse, he was really starting to limp. That hit to his right ankle was finally taking a towel on his ability to give it his all.

He was not able to pull back and help defend. The other team saw this and used this to get an upper had. They would try to sneak in by going trough Justin's side. There pushing finally worked at minute 70.

The forward got trough Justin and the other players and scored a goal. That brought the scores to 2-1.

We had only 20 minutes left to either score another goal to fully secure the win or pull back and play defense to secure the one goal lead.

Knowing the way our team plays we would do a combination of both. Every player expect for two will play as defenders and two will be left up front to try to score.

But this only works if the two at front are at their fullest capacity. Given that Justin is injured, I am not fully sure how it will fully work out.

15 minutes go by giving us only 5 minutes left till the end of the game. The score is still 2-1 but they have been a lot of close call for both of the teams. I think if Justin was not injured he would of at least score one goal by now.

"I have a feeling that Justin might be able to score a hat trick today." Hope says out of the blue. The game has gotten so intense that we have not spoken much.

"A hat what?" Birdy asks. We all turn to her and give her the look saying 'are you serious'

"A.HAT.TRICK. Birdy how have you gone to so many games and not learned what that is?" Rose ask almost shocked to find this out. "A hat trick is when a player scores 3 more times. We have been to multiple game where Justin has done a hat trick how have you not learn by now?"

"I'm sorry you know I'm not a sport kind of girl. Now that you mention it does sound familiar but I just could remember why it meant when Hope first said it." Birdy looked down shyly. It's true she is not a huge sport fan. We have explained to her the basics. But I guess some if the lingo did not stick in her brain.

"Ok guys leave Birdy alone. It's not her fault she didn't grow up in a sport loving family like us." I turn and gave the girl a sculling look and give Birdy a smile.

Birdy's mom is a psychologist and her dad is a CEO in a publishing company. She never had knowledge of any sport before we thought her. I think that she might know more about sports than her parents. She has no siblings that might teach her, so she is stuck with us for her knowledge.

Hope came from a sport powered family, she knew nothing but sport since she was born. Her dad played professional level soccer in the MLS and in national team, and now coaches gold and premier level soccer clubs. Her mom played college level volleyball and played in the Olympics, and now she is a sport medicine doctor. Her older brothers played soccer and football in high school and now plays football at the university of Oregon and might even play in the NFL next year. Hope pretty much learned how to kick a ball before she walked and sport lingo is her second language. She was in a soccer team since the age of 4 and has never stopped since then. Even her younger sister has the sports genes, she is a really good softball player.

Rose was also raised by HUGE sports fans, any and all sports you name it they love it. Her parents have a game, match, race, or fight playing on their tv 24/7. I'm surprise that Rose doesn't play a sport. I guess like her parents, she is more of a fan than a player. Her mom never played a sport before becoming a sport fashion designer for Nike. Her dad keeps in shape because he is in the Marines but doesn't 'play' a sport. Her little sister is a dancer, but rose doesn't consider it a sport. Surprisingly Rose was a dancer until she was 13. Rose would of made the perfect cheerleader if wanted to be but I guess she rather watch from the bleachers.

Well as for me, my family revolves around soccer. My dad played soccer when he was young but never professional, he focused on his engineering and architecture instead and builds stadiums now; but he always has a soccer game playing in his office and never misses any big game. My mom is a accountant and lawyer for the Los Angeles Galaxy and she watches EVER MLS game; she says its for her job but we know its because she loves soccer that much. My little brother plays for a soccer club that Hope's dads owns. I for one love soccer and I'm pretty good but I can't stand the attention a player face on the field. I blame my anxiety and my right ankle. My right ankle was broken when I was in 3rd grade and has never been the same since. I will never be able to give my fullest when it comes to a game, because for the fear of a panic attack or the fear messing up my ankle further.

"COME ON JUSTIN GIVE US A HAT TRICK!!!!" A random guy from the bleachers called out. I locked on the field and saw Justine was getting close to the goal. He had two minutes to get his first hat trick of this season.

"No pain, no gain" even though he was in the field and we where in the sidelines I was able to hear him say it he was chanting it. The pain was clearly marked in his facial expression.

I always like that quote. It can be used in so many ways. Pain can either be physical or emotional. You have to suffer a little to gain a reward. You can apply it to sports or real life. But today Justin applied it to sports.

He sprinted full speed catching the defenders off guard. He made it to the goal area before looking up at his target and kicking the ball. He put so much force in his kick that the goal moved his hand out if the way instead of blocking it and risking breaking something.

The crowed went wild. Justin once again did a hat trick bring the score to 3-1. The reff blew the whistle ending the game.

Everyone was cheering expect for me. All I can do is lock to the field and see Justin on the hold hold his ankle in pain. That final kick was the final straw. He must of add to much strength to the kick that it might agitated his ankle more. After a few seconds the crowd seemed to finally catch on and see he was not fine.

"OMG what happened to Justin" Biry asks worried and confused.

"He might have just screwed up his ankle real bad. He should if gotten out right after he got hurt, you should never play on an injury." Hope explain she always had some smart to say. But I got to hand it to her she knows what she is talking about, she has suffer through a few injuries and her mom is a doctor.

The athletic trainer comes out running to the help and kneels next to Justin. It's so quite I was able to hear Justin say "I heard something pop and I feel a sharp pain shoot up my leg." The trainer shock his head, "I told you to come out right after that slide tackle. This is what happens when you play on an injury."

Justin being Justin responded with "No pain, no gain."

At that moment it hit me. Is the pain worth it if you risk our own health and well being. Does the gain out weigh the pain. Or it just up to the person to test the limit of "No pain, no gain."

I guess for Justin the gain of one more victory is great enough to put his career as a soccer player on the line. He is willing to mess up his ankle more to give 'the fans' what they want. Every soccer player knows that a foot injury can make or break your career. I guess Justin truly does puts everything on the line and gives it his all when he sets foot on the field.