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By Sports Addict, June 8, 2010 1:08 pm

I had an epiphany the other day that has made a night to day difference in the accuracy of my soccer shot.The smell of freshly clipped grass was numbing as I crossed the street to the Canyon park for some practice.

I arrived at the tail-end of the sun set but the dark didn’t bother me. I just wanted to hone my shot before the first game of the tournament.

Between the quiet road and the steep hill there was a flat grassy pitch interrupted by patches of trees. The setting swallowed me up and I didn’t want it to spit me out.

The ball bounced from one foot to the other as I weaved through the darkness. Squaring up to shoot, I pulled back and released.

Leaving my foot the ball sailed straight, hitting the tree, I had decided was goal keeper, right in the chest. I reset and aimed for the lower left corner but my shot nailed the keeper again.

Frustrated I kicked harder and with more feeling, but every time the ball flew straight to the goalie. The harder I kicked with with my right foot the higher my left foot flew up after contacting the ball.

Then the light bulb turned on!  Without my left foot staying firmly planted in the grass I couldn’t aim.  I tried again and the ball sailed smoothly into the bottom left corner, slipping over the roots of the tree that made up my left post.

When ever my left foot was firmly planted, I could send the ball in the direction I wanted.  The next day I applied this technique and scored our second and third goals my first of the season.

Grateful  I thanked God for the epiphany that made a night to day difference in my shot.

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By Art Vandalet, December 9, 2009 5:08 pm

The final draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup happened this weekend.  All the teams have been placed in groups that will go up against each other in June,  182 days away, during the world cup.  These are the groups:

Group A:  South Africa, Uruguay, Mexico, France

Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea Republic, Greece

Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia

Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana

Group E: Denmark, Netherlands, Japan, Cameroon

Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia

Group G: Brazil, Korea DPR, Cote d’Ivoire, Portugal

Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile

Rivalries are already flaring as teams get set to come up against each other.  England’s Sun Newspaper spelled out its feelings on how Group C turned out on their front page:

England

Algeria

Slovenia

Yanks

But that kind of a cocky attitude is what became their downfall in Germany 2006.  News reports are saying that group G is going to be the hardest, or the group of death, as some call it.  Next hardest group would be Group D.  Multiple reactions have been publicized in the last few days showing how come countries are relaxing and feeling confident about the draw, while others have just begun to pray for their lives.   South Africa, also, has been praised for its organization and handling of the events this weekend.  It should be a great tournament this year.

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By Art Vandalet, November 18, 2009 10:23 pm

For all you futbol fans out there this is game that you don’t want to miss.  Honduras vs Peru.  While it may not be the biggest game of the year it’s important for Hondurans to show their true colors in preparation for the world cup next year in South Africa.

A disapointing  loss to the U.S. was a huge disappointment for Honduran soccer fans and left many hopeless.  But in the end the team did not disappoint. Honduras’ World Cup dreams came true when Honduras defeated El Salvador in a dramatic way last month.

This is the first time in twenty seven years that they have qualified for the World Cup. The last time they played in World Cup was in the year 1982.

While this may not be the biggest game of the year the Hondurans are out to prove to the world that they can compete in an international arena.