Finally found a soccer team!

Yep, after a year in El Salvador and one miserable failure trying to put one together at my site, one of my good friends invited me to come play with a near-by village team that she occasionally plays with (she is awesome but lives far up the mountain). So, I took up her offer today and head out in soccer clothes only to remember that Salvadorans always dress up for their games and THEN change when they get there...guys and girls alike. So, I felt kinda dumb for once again forgetting to remember that. I looked like a slob. oh well. They might have thought so to but after a mostly rained-on, muddy game where my feet felt like they weighed 10 lbs with mud, I got two penalties called for people pushing me (one into cow poop), and one shot on goal: they treated me like family!They were so great. I am sure it helped that we won (my friend scored the only goal of the game). They were all asking if I would start coming to practice (although one guy very nicely said I didn't need it haha) and if I would come back for next Saturdays game. I told them I really hope so (ojala!).

What I really like about them is they all played very maturely and had a really good concept of the basics of futbol...which is not the norm for all girls. Girls playing futbol is not normal here. They are relegated always to softball which they in turn like and consider "their" sport. Girls and soccer is not encouraged in every community unfortunately. It was awesome to be part of team that trains regularly, has a coach, and uniforms!

I came to find out that their team name is "Heroinas" del Rodeo. Heroines of the Rodeo. The village they live in is El Rodeo. AND, they are all related! Most all the girls are cousins. Some are married even because they have a great mix of upper and lower 20s. I thought it was funny that they were all related but not unusual. Everyone in my community is related somehow it seems. It's just like anywhere you would find in rural America...so don't go thinkin its weird!

It was a good day. Gracias a Dios.