I'm retiring after 24 years of competitive football and passing my 10 year old 5 a side team on.
This week, we were promoted to the next league up with my 5 a side team Olympique but in the last game of the season when it mattered we failed to win which would have made us champions. We are gutted, especially how it was my cousin Matty's turn to have the big trophy.
I have decided I'm going to play one more season and then I'm passing the organisation of my almost 11 years 5 a side team onto the new youthful group of lads - my cousins Matty, David and Michael and his mates.
Me and Jonny who is our goalkeeper both founded the team in March 2006 as FC Galacticos, both almost 32 years old have been there right from the start. It's amazing, I used dream and imagine that one day I would be playing in the same team as my eldest cousin Matty (now 24) and then my middle cousin Michael (21), now here I am - playing competitive football with all three - the youngest one being - David, 18 years old.
CLICK ON THE LOGO BELOW TO READ ABOUT THE HISTORY OF MY 5 A SIDE FOOTBALL TEAM:
OLYMPIQUE
Lack of desire:
I've been playing competitive football since the age of 8 without many breaks and I have definitely lost a lot of that desire now. From the age of 22 to 25 I was playing three competitive 5 a side leagues a week and some 11 a side teams too, my legs have been through a lot of intensity. Since I was 27 years old I have also ran 7 marathons in 5 years and I've also run around 17 half marathons, it does take its toll eventually.
I think the biggest thing though, I don't think I have that desire anymore to be kicked and receiving all these little niggles you get from football, I'm sick of hobbling to work and at nearly 32 years old, it's not a good look - believe me. I'm in my 30's now and although I'm usually 9 times out of 10 still the fastest player on the pitch when I'm fit - I just don't have the motivation to be kicked by these enthusiastic 21,22,23 year old's who are coming into their athletic peaks when I've now come out of the other side - a couple of years ago yes, but not now.
Been there worn the t shirt:
Ten years ago I was very enthusiastic, I had not won half as many trophies in football as I should have done in my teenage and childhood years and I wanted to make up for it. I had that passion and drive to want to become as fit as I could be and to win trophies and build a collection which I could look back at and admire when I was older, kind of like now.
I feel very content now at 31 years old, I have so many trophies, although mainly in five a side football - but I have such a big collection. I've won winners medals, runners-up medals, team trophies, individual trophies - you name it. I really do feel as if I have done it and worn the t-shirt.
I have played at Elland Road in 2014 which was a dream come true, I've been involved in futsal for a period of time and I was scouted by semi-professional team the Yorkshire Amateur's AFC when I was 27 from been spotted playing five a side football at Goals Soccer Centre. I've recorded all my own personal appearance's, goals and assists in all competitive games from the age of 17 (how I kept up with that, I don't know?) and I have reached 1,000 goals, my original goal was to reach 500, so I can be very content with that.
When I look back, I have been there, done it and worn the t-shirt and I think I feel content now, maybe that also is a reason I have lost a bit of motivation? It's not like I have just done these things once either, I have achieved these time and time again for 14 years or so.
Another factor in my decision is general wear and tear on my legs from all the intense games over the years. I mean for the past two years I have only been playing generally for two teams at the most but my legs are worn out.
Don't get me wrong, endurance wise I can keep going forever but I have lost that explosiveness I have always enjoyed having. I still have it in glimpses but my legs some games just feel heavy, I guess that's a sign that my legs are on the slide, haha.
Ankle pain - Another factor in my decision is ankle pain, the night of a game and the morning after, my ankles are so stiff and painful, especially when walking up stairs, or even just stood in one stop for a while and then as I walk a way they feel as though they are giving away for a split second. It must be all the twisting and turning and kicks on the ankle joint over the years that has caused this. When I am running and doing my training, my ankles seem to improve, so it is obviously caused by my football.
Calf trouble - If I am honest, my calf muscles, especially my right calf have never been 100% since I tore both 3-4 years ago. I wear my calf compression socks now when I play and if I forget to wear them, I do lose a bit of confidence, I just don't 100% trust that they will not tear again in a explosive movement. They are as strong as they can be though, or ever will be from now.
I'd rather stop playing whilst I'm still able to compete with these younger lads and able to impact games and outpace players and still beat players - I wouldn't want to be one of these guys in a few years who can't keep up.
In terms of now, at the level of 5 a side I'm playing at, a few years ago I would be turning it on when I wanted to but now, I don't seem to be able to decide that as often and I produce my best moments in glimpse, that's also a reason why I know I don't want to play regular competitively anymore. My current form at the end of this season in competitive football is 10 games, 21 goals and 10 assists and to be honest - at this standard it's not good enough for me.
Comebacks
Let's be honest, I'm going to be making quite a few comebacks - I know that, I'm going to be persuaded to help teams out now and again but officially - I am retired from competitive football - so if you need me to play - it better be a good reason haha.
Whether I will be genuinely content playing in semi-competitive kick about games or training matches remains to be seen but i think I will be.
I am also open to one day playing in a Veterans league, where I will belong by that point - now I would love that in years to come, I am only about three or four years away from the Veteran league age brackets.
FUTURE PLANS: GYM
As I won't be as cardio-vascular fit from all the competitive running around I think I am going to get back into my gym and some weight training next year, especially because there is a gym at the apartment me and Katie are moving to.
I still plan to run as well, that's always going to be there I hope.
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