You can fight it, you can deny it... but in the end you can't lie to your body.
This past Friday a group of students went to the 6 pack field to play a game of Manhunt. For those unfamiliar with the game, it's pretty much hide-and-seek and tag combined.
Now, I'm not going to brag, but I've always been pretty fast.
As a kid playing soccer, coaches would always put me at striker or forward because I would always be able to chase down long balls ahead of the other defenders. I didn't really need to develop actual skills like dribbling or passing because I could rely on my speed to get by. Likewise with other sports, I could always get by on my above-average athleticism without actually learning or honing skills in those respective sports.
Playing Manhunt confirmed the aging process in my body. I could no longer keep up with the freshmen in a flat out sprint anymore. The only thing I could do was team up with younger teammates and organize the traps we set out for the other team. You always hear about this happening with professional athletes. When they are young and in their prime, they are unpolished and typically able to do well on sheer talent itself. However when they start losing a step, they go into a renewed fervor in relearning and honing the techniques as well as incorporating their experiences to play smarter.
I've finally reached that turning point in my life where I realize I need to play according to my age... diving catches and the like are now, unfortunately, a thing of the past. It's a sad day indeed.
