Tuesday, April 3, 2012

At half-time I couldn’t wait to stand up, stretch my back and relieve my knees. Seconds after I stood I realized I was still watching fifteen athletes who couldn’t leave their wheel chairs half-time or not. No standing, no stretching, no relief. And yet they were all smiling and laughing while I grimaced to the left and then to the right. I sat back down. My cousin Scott, his teammates and his opponents are all Power Soccer players participating in a rapidly growing international competitive sport. During the game I was struck by how similar it is to the NCAA basketball tournaments which that day were in the semi-final round. In both cases there were startling offensive plays, brilliant passes, occasional defensive genius, and periodic lapses in the game plans. There were also differences. Wheelchairs don’t move as fast or as instinctively as basketball players. When one or more of your hands is not available you choose to “chair bump” instead of “chest bump” after a great play. The New Orleans Superdome holds 70,000+ and only the Neilsons know how many watched on TV, while approximately 120 friends and family gathered without the glare of klieg lights to watch power soccer. As I remained seated and watched the game unfold, I wondered how long it will be before Scott has an agent, a chair contract, sports drink endorsements, and air time on ESPN.