Saturday morning soccer

Just around the corner is the local soccer club NEC whose colours are black, green and red. Every time I go through the park and they are practicing or playing it reminds me of my soccer days.

Wind the clock back quite a few years and on Saturday mornings we would get up early, suit up in our outfits, shiny clean boots and the all important shin pads.

Rain, shine or hail, mum and dad used to take us boys off to our different games which must have been difficult (3 boys and 2 parents). They would stand at the side lines for more than an hour and a half as we warmed up and then played. If it was our turn we would bring along oranges for half time.

My team was East Coast Bays but my brother Nick and I also teamed up in the 2nd 11 for Rangitoto College.

Go East Coast Bays!

The Dutch are soccer mad in the same way as the British and in my reckoning the biggest sport in Holland as it in in New Zealand (if you're under the age of 16). Even kids as old as 5 can kick the ball better than me which isn't saying much :-)

Still, I am yet to attend a game so maybe that's one for the boys on of these days.