The Fowler Family Blog

Hello to all,

I have been stretching my legs (proverbially and literally) and playing soccer with a group of Koreans. I used to play soccer in high school, but truth be known I haven’t played since. I met a Korean friend who works on base, Mr. Kim. He works in security. Mainly we play sports together. Tennis, table tennis, and soccer. He is maybe ten years older, but very nice and has gotten me involved with a soccer league. He plays with a group of men/boys from his church. They play Sat/Sun each week. I have been going each Sunday for maybe a month or so. We play for about two hours on a nice artificial turf field. One large field and one smaller field. We also play a Korean soccer/tennis game were you kick a soccer ball over a shorter net than tennis. Very fun, called Choku. Well, needless to say the Korean players are VERY GOOD!!! It also turns out that I play for the best team around as we handily beat every team we play. Aparenty they don’t mind me playing even though I am not nearly as good. But, I finally had a GREAT victory yesterday. I scored a goal!!!! First, the game was on the large regulation size field (or center stage) against a group of younger and sometimes faster Korean boys. I was playing stryker, I passed to my left right outside the goal box and did a sweet give and go to receive the ball back about 20 feet in front of the goal. I only had one touch on the ball available as the defense was closing in. So, with one kinda clumsy left footed touch I scored in the left ground corner of the goal. This was the goal to stop the game!!! I was rather proud of myself. So, I said I may be the only Miguk (American) to score a goal on the field. I have only seen two Mormons walking by, no other non Koreans play. Yeah for me!!! So, to leave you with a short Korean lesson. Chucku katchi kapsida—let’s play soccer together!!!