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skymama

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

By skymama, in The Bonfire

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skymama    37

skymama
Last night, my son's High School soccer team played in the Region Finals, hoping to make it to the final four round at the state tournament. A little background...his team had already surprised the area by only having 3 losses this year and by winning the Conference and District titles. They weren't supposed to be so good; before going into the District play-offs the newspaper had them ranked at #11 for the area. They aren't the team full of rich kids who have been able to afford premier coaching all of their lives. Half the team speaks English as their second language and their parents can't even afford for them to play soccer on club teams in the off season. The other boys, like my son, are transfers to the school for the Engineering magnet program. It's not the school that kids aspire to go to.

They faced the #1 team for the area last night, we were the underdogs in everyone's eyes. The boys played like they had nothing to lose. At half-time, they were ahead 2-0. The stands were packed to capacity with the parents and students going horse from yelling so much. The other team managed to tie it up, which sent us into Golden Goal overtime where the first team who scores wins. Ten minutes passed, no goals. They headed into a second overtime. At this point, the boys have already been playing for 90 minutes. The coaches didn't want to sub out the best players, they were just playing on adrenaline and passion at this point. Yellow cards were flying because the boys were resorting to desperate measures to try to pull out a goal. They were playing ugly because they were so exhausted. Ten more minutes passed, no goal. The buzzer rang and both teams dropped on the field. Now, they were down to a penalty kick showdown, the best of 5 won. We shot, they shot, we shot, they shot...the crowd was on their feet and going wild. In the end, we won 4-3. We upset the top team!!! There's only 4 teams left and we're one of them!!! B|B|B|

The smile on my son filled his entire face. They accepted their trophy, ran around the field with their shirts off and relished in the moment. This is what he's been training for for the past 10 years. This was the moment. I was so proud and happy for him, I couldn't wait to see him to give him a hug. After about 20 minutes, they finally came off the field. Throngs of girls surrounded them! I was talking to another parent and saw Nick out of the corner of my eye talking to my dad. All the sudden, I saw him drop down. Nick had just passed out! I ran over to him and saw that he was still talking, but begging for water. No one had any. His eyes were glassy, he couldn't focus on us. Some men dragged him over to a water fountain where he laid his head in the tray and sucked the water while I started pouring it over his head. All the sudden, the excitement had turned to terror as I didn't know what was happening to him. He couldn't stand up on his own anymore, was glassy-eyed, couldn't focus on us and he started shaking while saying he was freezing.

Before I knew it, police and paramedics were hovering over him. They decided to take him to the hospital in an ambulance. When they strapped Nick on the gurney, tears started rolling out of his eyes. I thought he was scared about what was happening to him or upset that he couldn't celebrate with the team. He told me he was neither of those things and that they were tears of joy because they won. He stll couldn't stop thinking about their achievement!

The doctors put Nick on an IV drip, tested his blood, ran an EKG and took a chest x-ray. Fortunately, all was good other than the fact that he was suffering from severe dehydration. I was proud of him because he played hard and left nothing on the field. As the color started coming back to his face and he started to talk normally again, we gave him a hard time for being an attention whore. He grinned and finally at 2 am I was able to relax and know he was going to be all right. What a ride, what a night.

So, I guess I'll be spending Valentine's Day in Ft. Lauderdale cheering Nick and the team on. I can't think of a better way to spend it. :)
She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

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misskriss    0

misskriss
What a story! That got me teary-eyed. I know how I feel just watching my daughter play 7th grade volleyball during regular season and I can't even imagine the emotions of a playoff game like that. Congratulations to your son and his team and I'm glad he's okay. It must have been so frightening to see him collapse.B| I'm not good with emergency situations and would have probably freaked out.

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d_squared431    0

d_squared431
Congrat's to his team for all their hard work and dedication. I am glad your son is okay, i can just imagine the thoughts that must have been going through your mind. Good luck him and his team on Valentine's Day. :)
TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1
I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH
You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly

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JENNR8R    0

JENNR8R
I couldn't breathe while reading that story... it definitely would make a good movie. This is something you all will remember for the rest of your lives. I know you're a proud Skymama [Your Hotness]. :D
What do you call a beautiful, sunny day that comes after two cloudy, rainy
ones? -- Monday.

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skymama    37

skymama
Quote

It must have been so frightening to see him collapse. I'm not good with emergency situations and would have probably freaked out.



It was horrible, especially after he just seemed so normal running around on the field, hooting and hollering about the win. He told me he could feel his legs giving away in the last 10 minutes and he was missing shots. Now we know he was getting disoriented but then we just thought he was so tired. I think the adrenaline was just keeping him going for awhile. It was really hard to stay together. A few tears welled up when they put me in the ambulance, but I didn't dare let him see me that way.

His position is anywhere on the back line, but he's mostly on the left hand side. He's standing in the living room kicking the ball around while he's talking to me...he's getting back to normal now. :)
Edit: where are my manners...thanks so much for the well wishes, you guys. It means a lot to me. I'll report the score after Wednesday's game. I think it's going to be one of those games where they'll still be smiling even if they lose, they're just happy to be there.
She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

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skymama    37

skymama
Nick made the newpaper. :)
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/local/orl-hssoccer1407feb14,0,6152455.story?coll=orl-sports-headlines

Lyman looks to finish with boys state soccer title

Tania Ganguli | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted February 14, 2007


After 100 minutes of soccer and the penalty kicks that decided the game, Lyman sophomore Nick Miller collapsed with exhaustion and was taken to a hospital.

Miller was severely dehydrated; after some IV drips, he was discharged from the hospital. Like his teammates, Miller had given everything he had against Winter Park to help the Greyhounds win to advance to the boys soccer Class 6A final four.

That's what it's taken for this Lyman team. All season it has given every bit of effort the players have had -- though usually not as literally as in Miller's case -- on their path to the state tournament.

Lyman is one of three Central Florida boys soccer teams to advance to the state semifinal round in Fort Lauderdale starting today. Lyman (16-3-5) will face Wellington (20-2-4) tonight at 7. Maitland Orangewood Christian (20-3-2) plays Delray Beach American Heritage (22-3-2) today at noon in a Class 2A semifinal, and Lake Highland Prep (13-8-1) plays Plantation American Heritage (21-1-3) Friday at noon in 3A.

Initially, Lyman's quest was to just win its district. The Greyhounds did that, beating Lake Brantley in the 6A-District 3 championship game.

Then the Greyhounds surprised everyone, including themselves, by winning their regional.

Now that quest has turned into one to win the Class 6A state championship.

"I expected to win districts, but not to win regionals," Lyman's Marko Bilal said. "We were all really surprised but now we're not going there just to participate. We're going there to win it all."

The Greyhounds have often been hidden in the shadow of their fellow Seminole County teams, especially Lake Mary, Lake Brantley and Lake Howell.

This season Lyman beat Lake Mary twice and tied the Rams once, beat Lake Brantley twice, tied the Patriots once and lost to them in a tournament, and beat Lake Howell twice.

Lyman Coach Steve Lyons pointed to team chemistry as what has held his Greyhounds together this season. Unlike recent Lyman teams, Lyons and some of his players said this one plays like a family.

So when goalkeeper Marcos Lado saved a Winter Park penalty kick, all but guaranteeing the Greyhounds a final-four berth, they all felt it. Until then, they weren't sure this -- a final-four appearance -- would happen.

"The turning point for us was when Marcos Lado stopped that PK," said Miller, who was carted off to an emergency room shortly after Lado's stop. "It just feels like we're destined to win this."
She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

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skymama    37

skymama
Thanks, you guys! :)
I'm off to go to Ft. Lauderdale now. Behave yourselves, I'll have my Blackberry and will be able to check the forums. ;)
She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

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Rick    67

Rick
Congrats to the boys good job I know how scary it is when your kid has a medical issue like that. You really feel helpless glad it was nothing major. I didn't know your son is in Lyman the school is directly across the street from my shop.
You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

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skymama    37

skymama
Quote

I didn't know your son is in Lyman the school is directly across the street from my shop.



I had no idea! The next time I'm hanging around waiting for practice to be over, I'm going to come over and drink you beer too. ;)

I just found out that the other team has players who are 6'7", 6'4" and 6'2". That's a little scary. :|
She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

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