For the Love of the Game

I mentioned in a previous post that I watch a lot of soccer, tennis, and baseball. I really love these sports and get very invested my teams and favorite players. Watching my Giants win against the Cardinals and watching Nadal, Li, and Schiavone progress to the finals at the French Open last week was pretty much heaven for me.

For all my enthusiastic observance of the games, though, I am not very good at sports myself. Many of you may not know that I am quite a tall lady—just a quarter inch shy of 6 feet. You'd think this would be great for basketball, or volleyball, or tennis, or long jump, or any number of other sports. And it isn't that I am uncoordinated either! I am just… a little afraid.

Afraid of getting hit in the head by a ball (or my own racquet or bat, which I've done). Afraid of doing the wrong thing (catching the soccer ball, for example—which I've also done). And apparently afraid of hurting the feelings—or shins—of my opponents. (My mom loves to tell stories about watching me play soccer when I was younger, and how she could hear me from the stands apologizing as I took the ball from the other team and ran it down the field.)

It's really a shame that I am so non-competitive and altogether timid, because I would love nothing more than being good at a sport. Or even good at throwing a Frisbee! Sure, I can read fast and I know big words and I'll edit the heck out of pretty much anything. But I want to kick, swing, and hit!

If you could be good at anything, what would it be and why?

Photo by Flickr user keithminer