Kathy is a Classics. So am I. Kathy
started with Classics long before I did. I’d wanted to compile stories of
Classics ladies. I sent out a questionnaire to the Classics players, sort of.
Kathy was the first to give me an account of her soccer story. I’d like to
share it here.
Kathy was recruited into soccer by a
lady named Kipper. Kathy thought Kipper was a founder of the Fairfax Women’s
Soccer Association (FWSA) in Fairfax County, but is not totally sure. It was in
the 1970’s, the time I began my life journey in this new country of mine.
Kipper had to do heavy recruiting at the beginning. She was a member of the
same church that Kathy attended. She convinced Kathy and Chris, Kathy’s very
good friend, to give soccer a try. Chris, being German, knew something about
soccer, whereas Kathy had no clue. The two friends agreed to play. They were
both in their 30’s at the time. They were assigned to the same team called
Sunshiners. Kathy had so much fun at her first game that she fell down laughing.
The next week, she was told there would be no laughing on the field. That was
the ref being stern, laying down the rules. Kathy retold the story with a
twinkle in her eye.
In the late 1990’s, the first tryout
was held to recruit players for a team to go to a soccer tournament in San
Diego. Kathy was amazed that she was chosen. Seven of her fellow teammates, and
now her good friends, also made the team. They played. They had a taste of
soccer tournaments. They wanted more! Kathy recalled discussing with her friend
Chris the possibility of forming a select team of over-50-year-old women to
play in future soccer tournaments, while they were pushing their
grandchildren’s strollers. The movement was started with a meeting hosted by
Chris at her house. They were able to recruit players from other local soccer
teams within the league. Thus Team Classics was born. Although the players were
in their 50’s, there was no 50-and-over division in FWSA at that time, so they
went to 50-and-over tournaments, but played in the 40-and-over division within
FWSA. At some point, it was time for Classics to add younger players to the
roster. That’s when I came in. Kathy said I was the first “baby” to be selected
to join the team.
Since I’ve joined Classics, the team
underwent several changes. There were more “young” players added. Then there
was a change in coaches, which simultaneously resulted in a loss of about half
of the players. Then there were splits and regroups. Eventually the team moved
up an age group. FWSA currently has 50-and-over and 60-and-over divisions, in
addition to open, 30-and-over, and 40-and-over divisions. We’ve come a long
way.
Kathy has played soccer in two
international tournaments, a number of tournaments in San Diego, one Veterans
Cup, and one Senior Olympics Games in Palo Alto at the Stanford soccer fields.
She likes the fact she can tell people she played at Stanford. One of the San
Diego games was at the U.S. Olympic fields at Chula Vista so she can say she
played there, where she almost expired from the heat. Asked about memorable
moments playing in tournaments, she recalled the time she was taken out of the
game because her coach didn’t think she played well, but she thought she did.
She took out her sorrow in the hotel bar that night, singing and dancing. She
was happy that a teammate joined in. She also remembered having terrific
support from the sidelines in many tournament games.
Besides soccer, Kathy also played
basketball. She played basketball in the Senior Games in Louisville, KY in
2007. Kathy had surgery for a meniscus tear when she was 69. She is not sure if
that was from playing soccer or basketball. She quit basketball before quitting
soccer.
When Kathy turned 76, she decided to
stay with Classics, although many of her fellow teammates from the beginning
had either moved away or “retired” from soccer. Kathy chose to play only when
the team was ahead. Otherwise, she was happy to sit on the sideline and cheer
for the team. She served as the team representative for many seasons. Currently,
she no longer plays soccer. She says she’s satisfied to retire from soccer with
one international goal.
Kathy says soccer was an opening for
her to release stress, and at the same time, it gave her so much fun. She
played soccer during the time she had to take care of four young children, one
with a disability. Soccer gave her an opportunity to do what she loved to do -
run and challenge the opposition and make lasting friends. It was at an indoor
game in 1997 when a teammate asked if anyone wanted to go to Paris. She was
quick to say yes. That was the first “just-for-fun” trip she made with soccer
friends, and the fun continues to this day.
Getting ready for Mama Mia at National Theater
