Season opener

Yesterday, the Christ School boys football team kicked off their season in... something less than style. While a 2-1 come from behind win is a positive result, the game was ugly and we played terribly. The interesting part is that, in training on Saturday, the boys looked good and were playing pretty nice football. Perhaps it was the pressure from the hundreds and hundreds of people lining the field, screaming and beating drums, that caused them to lose composure, but whatever it is I'm hoping to be able to fix it before the next match on Saturday.

The atmosphere was electric, with so many fans, and I've never seen so many people gathered in one place here in Bundibugyo. It was great to have an event that drew so much of the community together (even if they were often poorly behaved).

I spent much of the game slowly and quietly pacing the sideline, punctuated with frequent violent outbursts of screaming and gesticulation (partly out of frustration, and partly just to be heard above the roar of the crowd). My throat is killing me today. This must be retribution for all of the frustration and yelling directed at me by my various coaches over the years.

Even with the season only days old, there are already accusation of schools bringing in "mercenary" players - boys who aren't students but are good footballers, or who are too old, being issued IDs and playing in the tournament. From what I can tell, this happens every year but at least now it's beginning to be caught and punished. The team we played yesterday even had a man who I would place at about 45 years old! I started cracking jokes that Alex (the head coach whom I work with) and I should go get our jerseys too. But, by some loophole, because he passed his primary school exam in the last few years, he's still eligible to play. Don't ask me how that makes sense, but apparently it does to whoever wrote the rules.

So the season is off to a positive, but frustrating, start.