This post is about soccer.

Well, not soccer exactly, it’s actually about futsal.

What’s futsal you ask?

Traditionally, futsal is five on five indoor soccer with a ball that is a little heavier so it doesn’t bounce the same way.

We rock futsal in my small town.

We rock it in the elementary school gym. With Jock Jams. And it’s amazing.

We rarely have five on five. So we play three on three. Or two on two. Sometimes without a sub.

We also play off the walls. And can hold full on conversations while playing. Hard.

Let me tell you about the ladies that go.

One is my neighbor. She is head of a garden nursery so has a very physical day moving heavy materials and plants. She also has a one year old and many animals- long haired goats, a dog, birds. She walks her dog every day. And still makes it to futsal. She’s a team player for sure. She rocks. And she never complains.

Another is a mom of three, the head of the school PTO, a local photographer, and has to get a sitter to come so she can get to futsal. Her husband already goes to ultimate frisbee on that night. She can shoot. She’s tough. She’s also kind, sociable, and the keeper of the jock jams. i.e. she’s amazing. And she loves cannolis. So we have that in common.

A third is our local librarian. She is a classy lady who runs all sorts of programs to benefit our small town. The kids adore the library and so do I. But when she steps on the futsal field (or rather the school gym/cafeteria floor) she turns into a defensive wall. A defensive wall with sexy shiny blue shin guards. No ball can get past her. And she can shoot!

Other players are moms who are in their fifties, local teachers, rec committee volunteers. They play several sports and work for nonprofits. The people here are deep in talents, personalities and service to others.

There’s really nothing better.

So that’s what I mean by sexy. Letting go on an evening and laughing. Silly dances to jock jams while we kick some serious futsal a$$. Teasing each other and venting about kids. Telling silly partner stories. Finding out about illnesses or losses of loved ones. Falling. Injuries happen, as they do when you are physically pushing yourself in a contact sport. Ankles get sprained. A wrist was fractured. There are bruised knees from falling on the hard gymnasium floor.

Oh, and did I mention how sexy we look in pinnies? ’nuff said.

Yet somehow we all come back. We make it happen. The comradery. The joy. The forgetting you have to be somebody’s something (mom, teacher, wife, daughter, etc.) for an hour and half once a week.

It can get you through a rough winter.

I am ever so thankful for this time to let loose.

What is your version of futsal (or time to let loose with awesome people)? Tell me in the comments.