Fly Fishing and Soccer

I think I'll go fishing on Father's Day. It's a tradition of sorts.

But for now I'm staying home to watch soccer. Two games were on Thursday, three today, and tomorrow there will be four. I haven't looked at Sunday's schedule yet.

This is a new thing for me. I used to find the game boring. But then my son Isaiah started playing and I took some time to learn the game. And the more I watched him play the more I got hooked.

I don't want to stretch the point, but I find the ebb and flow of the play on the pitch similar to my fishing experience. I don't catch a fish on every cast, but I don't get bored. No, the accumulation of repeated casts while simultaneously solving problems of technique or current or wind, and the buildup of anticipation and expectation, all finally culminate in the thrill of a take. Just like the buildup to a goal.

Soccer is called "the beautiful game," and it can certainly be that. But I know one thing for sure: watching these games with Isaiah is a beautiful thing.

To celebrate, I pulled out this video of highlights of one of Isaiah's team's best wins this past season.