November is my least favorite month for several reasons. First of all, the days seem about two hours long, especially after a night out and a sleep in until the afternoon. Secondly, the weather is absolute crap. It’s too cold to do much outside but not cold enough for snow and ice, and all of the fun winter activities that accompany them. The final reason I am not a fan of this month is because a large majority of the male population goes around sporting a hairy caterpillar-like growth on their upper lip (which is a bit unsettling, even though it is in support of an amazing cause!). In short, I am very thankful that the month is almost over and that it is only 30 days long.
This is the part where you are probably asking yourself: how has she survived this month of endless gloom? The answer that query is that November, dreary as it may be, has had one particularly positive aspect to it: the discovery of my new favorite sport. Just when I thought I had seen and tried pretty much every activity under the sun, a poster at the Currie Gym caught my eye. It was titled: 2v2 Soccer November league 2011. As soon as I saw this I knew I needed to sign up and give it a go.
I’m not sure who invented 2v2, where it originated from or when it started at McGill, but I think it’s a brilliant idea. This game is played with a size 3 (aka SUPER TINY), slightly deflated soccer ball and four players in a squash court. There is one defensive player and one attacking player on each team, with special lines on the floor that either player is not permitted to cross. No one is allowed to use their hands at any time. There are also certain rules regarding the ball bouncing off of the wall before it goes into the goal during free-kick situations. In short, it’s like nothing I have played since basement soccer sessions when I was about 5 years old.
The game itself is fast and furious, and definitely very tiring! To succeed you need to have a good touch and excellent ball skills in order to maintain control in such a tight space (that’s what she said). The strategy is also different from any other sport I have played, and it’s been a fun trying to figure out the best plays to try in each given situation. While you are playing you are almost always directly involved in the action and you get a lot of ball touches in comparison with a traditional 11 v 11 match.
Basically, getting involved with a new sport that I love has helped me cure my November “blahs”. I would encourage fans of soccer and other team sports to give 2v2 a try next time registration opens (info here). If this type of craziness is not up your alley, I would suggest breaking out of your old fitness routine and trying something new-for-you that the Currie Gym has to offer. From Zumba, yoga and boot camp classes to fencing, martial arts, triathlon and squash, there has never been more opportunities to step out of your comfort zone and discover a new favorite.
December can be as brutal as November for those with a tough exams schedule and 5 papers due on the same day, so cure your own “blahs” by doing something new and fun! You will return to the books refreshed, rejuvenated and with a healthy dose of endorphins to keep you motivated.
Best of luck to everyone as you finish up the semester!
- - Martlet Girl
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