A Godson Goalie

Some of you know that I have a Swiss Godson. My only Godchild. He is 23 years old now and was ten days old when I moved to CH. He may not be perfect, but he is a good imitation of it. He was always sociable from day one and won all who met him as a toddler by stretching out those small arms to have you hold him.

His father taught him how to ski when he was learning to walk. He has been an athlete since then. With a father who was a goalie and a brother who also played goalie for a local team, he couldn't miss at being on the soccer fields and between the posts. He started as a pee wee, and I think he was always a goalie. Goalies are best if tall and sleek. J is both and deadly serious about goal keeping. He always looks mad at the ball, and I suspect he sees it as his enemy. His development has always been to be the best goalie the area has ever seen.

A few years ago, he had occasion to travel with his team to another area in Germany for a camp or some such. While there for a few days, he partied a lot with his friends. He woke up one morning, and had an epiphany of sorts. He asked himself, if he was going to be serious in his ambitions or not. To the present, he has concentrated on soccer first, and his lovely girlfriend, O. She jerked a knot in him about the same time as the above epiphany. A party with J is a lot of fun. He has a wit that will not quit and has an innate dry humor. He always has a lot of friends.

Last year, he took me to a game in which he did not play. From the time we entered the stadium grounds, it was evident that J had a bunch of friends who greeted him. No surprise to me. J has always been my Godson, and he has always acted like he enjoys that, as much as me. Of course he has a lot of people proud of his success, and they are hopeful for his future as a man and as a goalie. No matter what happens, he will be a success in this game called life. Now, he is close to the "Big Time". He could become a member of Switzerland's national team. This akin to the world series teams in the USA. He could play for other countries anywhere in the soccer world. He could be injured or otherwise reach a level of competition less than the top.

To his credit, he plans for a future away from soccer, if he is unable to continue. After all, the player he replaced is only ten years his junior. Time will tell.......