Campus Event!!

My Campus Event

The day was warm and the sun was beating down on my skin. I thought to myself, “If only I brought my umbrella to shade the sun.” As I walked through the crowd with my boyfriend, Lyle, I found a seat for the both of us on the end of the bleachers. The players of California State University San Marcos Men’s Soccer Team were warming up on their half of the field. On the other half of the field, the boys from Westminster in their purple uniforms were warming up. As I sat watching and comparing the two teams, I leaned of to my boyfriend and said, “Our team’s goalie doesn’t look very good.” He agreed. I was already making assumptions about our team and how they would probably be playing. After about fifteen minutes, a buzzer went off summing the players to their side line. Then an announcer introduced the players of the opposing team, and proceeded with the introduction of our team players. A short time later, the captains of each team walked up to the center field to where the referees were. They then shook each other’s hands and the refs tossed the coin. The Cougars won the tossed and made their decision on who would start the first possession. The game was just about to start. As I sat on the bleacher in the blistering sun, I drew my attention to the field where the CSUSM Cougars were placed on the field. The player in the forward position passed the ball to a fellow team-mate, and the game was underway. To my surprise, the Cougars were doing rather well. I seemed to be more interested in this college level game rather that professional soccer. I was enjoying all the movement of the players rather than when the professionals only pass to each other or hold the ball themselves. The game was very competitive and give-and-take. One team would have the ball then someone would steal it and it would be over turned to the other team. Occasionally there would be a good slide-tackle or an awesome header.

Right when I was starting to get a little bored, our team would inch closer and closer near the goal. Number 10 passed to 15, then 15 passed back to 10. 10 dribbled the ball towards the goal, juked the goalie and shot the ball. The goalie missed it and the goal was made! The crowd was cheering in excitement. At first, I was assuming that we wouldn’t do too well; boy did the team show me wrong. Majority of the time the team was on the offence. When the ball would rarely get turned over, the defense was quick to execute their plays to get the ball out of shooting territory. It was lots of back and forth and passing here and there when I started to lose focus on the game. I turned to look at Lyle and saw that the right side of his face was turning red from the sun’s damaging rays. I laughed at him then he sat on the ground so my shadow would block the sun from his face. The crowd started to grow louder and I could hear spectators cheering for the Cougars. They swarmed closer to the goal. It was getting really exciting when a defender stole the ball back but kicked it up into the air. The Cougars’ number 22 ran up and bounced the ball off of his head. The goalie of Westminster was caught off guard and the ball soared into the goal. My ears were pierced by the screams of the crowd as a shouted in excitement for the team. The first half of the game was almost over. Lyle and I decided that we would leave after the first half.

We left when the first half ended. Even though we didn’t stay the whole time, I was glad that I went to our Men’s Soccer Homecoming game. My overall experience of the game was fun. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the fans and the family of the players. I have never been to a game at the university before, and I was surprised to find that I had a great time. I didn’t by a barbecue ticket, but the food looked great. If I go to another campus event, and there is a food opportunity, I will definitely buy a ticket. I wish I knew the outcome of the game, but I had a good time without knowing the score. Just watching the game was exciting enough for me.