WEEK THREE- SOCCER CACHING IN CALIFORNIA

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My third week has been the quietest since arriving here. Alot of time has been spent trying to arrange a schedule for coaching. There are many teams that train at the same time on the same days and so I have had to send alot of emails and make numerous calls to try and get teams to maybe change. Some have changed straight away, as they no us good looking UK coaches are only here in Redwood city for another three weeks, so have jumped at the chance to let me coach!! Others have work commitments and so can't change times.

So the past week has been a combination of sleeping, waking up, eating, emailing, drinking, emailing, eating, walking, eating, coaching, sleeping and drinking, oh and abit more eating.

It has been fun though as I ventured in to the downtown area of the town and sat outside in the sun at Starbucks preparing my coaching sessions with a huge hot chocolate. I even went as far as paying the local museum a visit, $4 to catchup on the 'history' of this area. Didn't last long..........ooo little dig.
seriously though it is a very pleasant place to live, its always sunny, people are very friendly and you really get the feeling of being part of the community when kids and parents recognise me in the street. bless. I'm a celebrity.

As I mentioned before, I have got a schedule that actually resembles a schedule now and so have coached some new teams, one being my host families son's team. That was a great session. As I'm into my fourth week now, I have now coached certain teams twice or three times now and so am getting to know the kids and what they need to work on etc.

The temperature began to drop last week especially at night, I even had to put on a jumper at one point. disgraceful. myself and the other UK coaches went out for a night on Thursday to Palo Alto again, it was a pretty good night, all the bars were jam packed. A very lively and happening place. There were loads more UK coaches out as well that had come from various other towns around the area. At one point I thought I was in Ayia Napa.

On Saturday I officially stepped over to the dark side, no I don't mean I became a Scouser, But I became a linesman for a game!! Or an assistant referee. I no I'm struggling to come to terms with it myself. The father of my Host family is a referee himself and was short of a linesman for a game, so he asked me if wouldn't mind running the line. I didn't mind at all. My decision making throughout the game was spot on!!! Well done myself!! HIGH FIVE

I also watched Jeremy's (host families son) match, They won 3-1. During the game I was being interviewed by my host families 7 year old daughter Karen, A very funny interview if ever there was one. Definitely the next Parkinson.

On Sunday three of us UK coaches had to get up at the crack of dawn to go and assist a try-out session in a town an hour away, We had to be there for 8am. It hurt!! I got sunburn on my face as it was windy and my lips turned into sand paper. But the day itself was very rewarding as there were three different age groups coming for try-outs throughout the day and so we had to make sure they were in the right place at the right time, we had to demonstrate the drills to them, the girls we had just kept on laughing at our accents!! tut tut. The day started off really hectic, trying to explain a rather complicated drill to a 9 year old is like trying to tell Man City fans they will never be a 'big' club, just not going to sink in! But after an hour or so everything ran smoothly and it turned out to be a fun, yet hectic day.

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Photos

Redwood City
"Best climate by Government test

The butterflies
They have a strong hooligan element

Karen interviewing me
great journalist

Chevy's Restaurant
My host family