Soccerball USA

I'm not going to discharge yet my promise to write about courses; I think it's fairer to wait until they've settled into a routine before making judgments about them. So instead...

Yesterday evening, I attended a 'tryout' session for the uni football team. Those of you familiar with my footballing ability will appreciate how ridiculous it would be for me to bother doing the same in the UK. Those of you who aren't, well, try to imagine me displaying skill, speed, poise, power, grace...

Finding it hard? Images of flailing limbs and the occasional pratfall instead? Right on. At my best, I'm competent. So I approached these trials with trepidation, and partial expectation of humiliation. On the other hand, I thought it was worth going a) for the exercise, b) for something to do, and c) because it was possible the standard here was really a lot lower than in England.

Miami, you might have gathered, is a hot and humid place in the summer. The session started at 6pm, and I'd already worked up a decent sweat getting from the metro to the pitch (five minute walk). By the end of the warm-up - three laps of a three-pitch area - I was in the odd position of being barely out of breath (it was jogged, and distance running I'm ok at), but literally dripping with perspiration.

Anyway, on to some basic ball drills, and then a series of short practice matches in which the first team took on teams of newcomers. And do you know, the standard here really isn't that great. Nobody from the first XI seemed to be any better than some of the people I played 5-a-side with in Sheffield, and although a few of the newcomers - in particular, two Brazilians - were obviously good, the level was by no means above me. Humiliation avoided.

There's more of these sessions tomorrow and next week before they sort out the final squad. I'm not particularly bothered about making that; I'd really rather just play scratch five-a-side once or twice a week than do boring training sessions. But turning up to these things is a good way of meeting like-minded people, and a run-around too. Hopefully, by this time next week, I'll know enough casual footballers to sort out a regular, informal game.

Other than that, nothing much to report. No news from AHRC in England, and not much news here...