Okay, so I’ve been meaning to get more active, and I heard about this flag football league in Columbus. I thought, “Why not?” I used to play back in high school, so maybe I could recapture some of that glory, or at least get a good workout.
Signing Up
First thing I did was I try to find their signup page. I found it by searching on google. The website looked pretty standard – you know, schedules, standings, the usual stuff. The registration was straightforward. I just had to fill out a form with my info, experience level (which I honestly might have exaggerated a little), and pay the fee. Boom, I was officially on a team.
The First Practice
Man, I was nervous. I hadn’t thrown a football in years. Showed up to the field, and it was a mix of people. Some looked like they’d been playing every week for their entire adult lives, and some were clearly newbies, like me. We did some basic drills – running routes, catching passes, pulling flags. I was huffing and puffing after like, ten minutes. My throws were… let’s just say “inconsistent.”
My throwing was bad.
Getting the Gear
I realized pretty quickly that my old sneakers weren’t going to cut it. I needed some actual cleats. So, after practice, I went to find a local sports store and pick some up. Tried on a few pairs, finally found some that felt decent and didn’t break the bank. I Also get a new pair of gloves, mouth guard, and a water bottle.
First Game Jitters
Game day! We show up, and the other team looks… intimidating. Big guys, matching jerseys, the works. My team was a bit more of a ragtag bunch. We huddled up, the “captain” (a guy who seemed to know what he was doing) gave us a pep talk, and we were off.
The Game Itself
It was a blur. I mostly played defense, trying to keep up with guys who were way faster than me. I did manage to pull a few flags, which felt pretty good. I even got to play a little receiver, but I drop every single ball that came my way. My hands were like butter. In the end, we lost. Badly. But, you know what? It was still fun.
After the Game
We all went to a bar near by. I chugged water like my life depended on it, and we talked about the game, mostly about how we could improve. I met some cool people, and we all agreed that, despite the loss, we were looking forward to the next one.
Next Steps
I definitely need to work on my cardio and my catching skills. I found some YouTube videos with drills I can do on my own. I’m also going to try to get together with some of my teammates during the week to practice throwing and catching. I might not be the star player, but I’m determined to get better. And, honestly, even if I don’t, it’s still a good way to get some exercise and meet new people.
