France soccer team

AFP Photo /Franck Fife

Training and practice is the perfect way to develop one’s craft or achieve one’s goals.  The above photo shows the France soccer team training, on the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, in preparation for the 2010 World Cup.  The second photo shows the South Africa soccer team practicing in Johannesburg at the beginning of the World Cup games.

Seeing photos of the different teams reminded me that training and practice not only applies to the footballers but writers, and anyone else who wants to be good at what they do, too.   In order to be a better writer, one has to practice and train by writing everyday.  Practice makes perfect.

My friend, Ande, has a wonderful blog called DOGGING THE WORDS to assit writers.  It includes a daily writing practice assignment.  If you’re interested in writing tips, go check it out.

Paz Edwards

South Africa Team
Topshots/AFP Photo/Alexander Joe

South Africa team celebrating after making the first goal

of the first game of the 2010 World Cup.  (Getty Images)

It’s time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup again.  The biggest sports event in the world occurs every four years.  It started June 11 and will end July 11.   I’m one of the millions, worldwide, following the Beautiful Game.

Pelé, one of the best soccer players on the planet, coined soccer (more commonly known as football in other countries.) as ‘the beautiful game’.  I’m  not sure why, but I do see beauty in the game — from the athleticism of the players to the flow of the game.  It can be beautiful to watch as the eye follows the football move back and forth between the players and the two goals.

France v. Uruguay
Photo by Karim Jaafar/AFP/Getty Images

I enjoy watching the different teams and learning about some of the individual players — many of them have become heroes.  What interesting histories they have.

France forward Thierry Henry
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images  

 I enjoy watching the fans, too.   They’re so passionate.

Fans playing "vuvuzela" horns
Photo by Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

I like that soccer unites people from all types of backgrounds — cultural and religious.  The fans are young, old, rich, and poor.  They’re from different nationalilties and political persuasions.

So far, a few teams have surprised the viewers with their performance.  The most popular teams haven’t lived up to the high expectations given to them.   They’ve barely scored a goal, if any at all.  However, since the World Cup is a month long, there’s time to see what will happen, which team will surprise the viewers, which team will ultimately win the coveted World Cup.  I can’t wait to see.

In the meantime, I have one important question:  I’ve noticed that the players are now wearing longer shorts.  What ever happened to those cute short shorts they used to wear?  I’m just asking.  

Paz Edwards