Could this happen today????

SOCCER and CHOIR in a matter of hours. 

It seems more and more in today’s world that kids are having to specialize.  When  I was in HS the trend seemed to be beginning.  You were starting to see kids play only one sport, or only do Music, or only do Drama etc.  I consider myself very, very lucky that this was never the case with me.  I have a few memories on this matter, but we will start with this one.

My senior year, I participated in Show and Concert Choir.  In the Spring I also played soccer.  Soccer was my sport.  Loved it.  Well as it so happened a Concert Choir Performance and BIG Soccer Game ended up being on the same day.  We were playing in the Muscatine Invitational in the middle/late afternoon, and then we had a Concert Choir Performance early that evening in Cedar Rapids.  

My Dad/Coach and Mr. Berry made a deal that I could do both.  Not sure if these deals even exist outside my experience.  I hope they do.  

According to the deal, I could only play one half of soccer, then I would have to get in my Ford Escort, which I had followed the bus in, and drive back to Cedar Rapids, just in time for the concert.  

Back in 1993 this was possible, I am not sure it would be allowed now…..Is it?? A student by himself, following the bus in his personal vehicle.

I remember correctly the concert started at 7.  The game got to halftime sometime after 5.  

Here is the kicker though.  We were tied at the half.  Tied.  This was a HUGE deal.  Why?  I may not have mentioned it in the memories yet, but I NEVER won a HS Soccer Game as a player.  Never.  Ask my HS Teams I coached.  They know.  We were tied, and I had saved a penalty kick in the first half to keep it tied.  

I may or may not have spent the first minutes of Halftime begging my Pops to let me play this one out, but he had a deal with Mr. Berry, and he was going to make sure he held to it, and that I sang.

I finally hustled to my car, and plugged in the fuzzbuster(true story)  This was not mine, but it was given to me by someone not of HS Age, for the express reason to get me to the concert on time, and I did. Cough, Cough, Mr. Berry. 

I arrived in less than an hour with a little breathing room to spare, warmed up with the choir and we performed a great set.

We may not have won the soccer game, or won the performance, but overall I WON, because I had a Great Coach and a Great Choir Director who let ME do it ALL….