Weekly Review 21st – 27th May 2012 [injured, uni]

Well I was looking forward all week to today’s game.  I missed Tuesday’s training, my lower back seemed fine in Wednesday training doing sprints, quick turns and all without issue and Friday was more or less okay aswell.  I went to the gym for the first time in 10 days on Saturday – did some yoga and weights, paying careful attention to the way I pick up my weights and form and all – I didn’t do any weights for my back. I woke up, everything seemed fine and was buzzing for today, my upper back seemed a little tight..and lower back a little. Then this morning when I was in the bathroom getting ready, I bent down to pick something up and I felt a small pain in the left side of my lower back.

Initial thought is that all way okay, it’s just a little niggle that will work itself in a few minutes, but it stayed with me, I got the spot massaged by the Physio, pre-warm up, but I still felt it.. So we went out for warm up and I was doing some dynamic stretching, a bit of jogging and then I sat down to some lower back stretches (sit down, right elbow on left knee and stretch) – and I was thinking to myself man, my back feels pretty stiff! So I tried to stretch it out as much as possible, Then the next thing I felt a pull in my back and I got the immediate bad feeling “fuck that hurts,  I’m not going to be able to play today”. Physio tried to fix it, but it didn’t work. We won the game 2-1! But I can hardly walk now and the transition from sitting down and standing up is pretty painful. So on reflection my back might of tightened up from the gym or yoga opening up my back and groin?

Hopefully I’ll recover soon in time for next weeks game against Deakin, who lost today in the upset of the decade against at Deakin Stadium. Monaro have lost every game this season and they’ve only scored a few goals, yet they won 2-1 against the champions who have won like the last five years in a row. Absolutely Amazing!

When I was doing Yoga on Saturday, the teacher was talking about something spiritual, as that is what yoga is all about. She was talking about something to do with staying happy and said the words you motivating, inspiring and challenging. So I applied that to my “where to go to university” dilemma and I compared the Netherlands to Sydney and thought to myself.. I know what Aussie people are all about, I know Australian culture and Dutch culture I really don’t have much of a clue at all except that they’re all pretty tall friendly people. Reason Australia is a no-no is starting in the 2nd semester of Uni would kinda be lame, people already made friendships.. Winter..not exciting.

So Holland is like a new challenge. Living in Australia.. well not so much.

It’s been on my mind for months and months and I think I’ve made the decision that I want to move to Holland in September.

But what I believe is that there’s no time limit on ‘making it’ – I will only become better and better as time goes on and reading stories about late bloomers is what re-assures me. I’m always sticking to the improvement plan and Everyday I’m getting better. Only if a REALLY GOOD opportunity in football comes up, I will take it with both arms and forget about Uni. But hey playing in the Dutch 3rd division for example would be a great opportunity too! No matter what happens, they are steps in the right direction.