(The above picture has nothing to do with what follows, but is awesome anyways).
Yesterday afternoon, I attended soccer practice back at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary on a chilly, windy, and quite rainy afternoon. During the practice, I remember thinking to myself, "Why are you standing out here in this horrible weather, kicking a really slippery ball, and not sitting in a nice chair with a book and a cup of hot tea?" (I tend to think in long sentences!)... What can I say? I love the game! And getting to hang around with my Seminary friends is pretty awesome as well—even if we're slipping and falling on the wet grass!
Well, after practice was over, a former classmate and friend of mine reminded me that he had the "Goal II" DVD (it is the second in a series of movies about a fictional rags-to-riches soccer player story), and that I could borrow it to watch it. I enjoyed it, but was a little disturbed by the direction the movie trilogy seems to be going. In the first movie, the main message was 'stay true to your roots, and keep your priorities straight.' In this movie, the message wasn't as clear, especially with so many subplots going on (too many to get into here). I was most disturbed by the fact that the main character—who is portrayed as a faithful Catholic coming from a hispanic background—is sexually involved with his fiancée. I don't know, but things like this are upsetting to me, as they have absolutely nothing to do with the main storyline. I guess I can simply pray the third movie shows a little more of the truly Catholic side of the character.
Back to the soccer, though!
After I finished watching the movie, I received two separate emails about Chase Hilgenbrinck, a man who decided to leave a promising career in professional soccer to become a seminarian for the Diocese of Peoria, IL. He's featured in a recent article on ESPN's website, although I remember hearing a little about him earlier this year. I really encourage you to read his story in the article, as it's very inspiring!
One of the best parts, in my opinion, and most revealing of the true nature of Seminarians (that is, that Seminarians are normal human beings, and not automatons who hate and shun all of the material world), is this statement about the pre-game music selection:
It was a muggy, overcast afternoon. The Mount St. Mary's players were on the field early, stretching almost an hour before game time. At one point, one of the Mount players yelled to a friend sitting in the press box to turn on the PA system and pump some music.
What did the seminarians end up listening to while they stretched? Hymns? Gregorian chants?
No, "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC.
My love for soccer has been reinvigorated by all of yesterday's soccer-related occurrences What a wonderful game soccer is! And, luckily, I get to play in another game on Sunday.