Balloons

It's windy in NJ today and while I did not watch any soccer games, the windy day reminded me of many years ago - more than 50 - when I was in 10th grade and played one spring for First German Sport Club Phoenix in Feasterville, PA.  We had a coach named Otto, who, when he wasn't keeping us from trying to get a beer at the bar after games (this was a German club, after all) tried to teach us soccer. 

And he must have been a success because to this day I can remember him on breezy days like today saying in his thick German accent, "It's vindy today boys.  Keep der ball on der grund.  Don't balloon der ball."  In other words, short passing game, don't just boot it as far as you can  - still good advice today and I've passed it on to teams I've coached.  I hope someday my former players will hear the voice saying, "Don't balloon der ball," and pass it on to their sons and daughters.