TELL US ABOUT TOUR FAVORITE FOOTBALL MEMORY CONTEST BY @sadiqxylo
Hello everyone,
It's yet another interesting contest on your favorite football memory. This is an opportunity to sit and read all entries since everyone will be sharing their interesting memories they always kept as treasure. Mind happened in basic school and I will like to share with you all.
There is this memory that is stuck in me since childhood. An inter zonal football competition organized by my locality for basic school students.
There was this rivalry between my school (Roman Catholic Primary school) and a neighboring school (ST. James), anytime we had a competition being it soccer, volleyball, quiz, they always ended up separating us. These two schools were the superiors in the zone. The rivalry was so strong that each school has its spiritual father, who foresees everything and make sacrifices to prevent the bad ones.
An inter zonal competition between 16 different schools grouped into four. My school was in group A while my rivalry school was in group B. Both schools survived through the group stages. Everybody wanted these two schools to meet in the final stage but the zonal director intentionally drawn these two schools in the semi-final.
There comes the interesting part of this memory, Both schools came together and had a demonstration against the semi-final drawn. We all acted as if there was nothing between us. For everybody to be save and sound, the zonal director quickly changed the draw.
As everyone was expecting both schools came through to the final stage of the inter zonal competition. My school beats its opponent by 2 goals to 1 and my rivalry school survived through penalty. I was the first scorer in the semi-final match.
Final day between this two rivalry school. Both schools went on with their spiritual incantations, my school even went on to invite the spiritual father to the field. The rest of the students who weren't playing gathered stones and was prepared for fight in case we lose. All this of gathering stones were done by both schools. The rivalry didn't only run through the students but teachers and even past students.
I was the center back and captain as well for my school. The match kicked off and the referee himself couldn't determined the fate of the match. Both schools played with aggressiveness and bad intentions. We played first half goalless with three injured players, one from my school and two from the other side.
The only goal came 90th minutes of the game. It was a penalty, my school striker wac down in the penalty spot and the referee pointed at the spot. My rivalry school students ran into the pitch and started hitting the referee. The sub-chief for the locality sent gang of strong men into the pitch to stop the students. The referee was wounded badly so was replaced by another one. Both schools still insisted that the match should continue. The ball at the penalty spot with me in front to take the kick. I sent the keeper the wrong way and put the ball through the net give my school an advantage in the game. After the goal, the match ended without the referee blowing the whistle. Stones from all edges of the pitch from both schools.
Everybody was aiming at me since I scored the only goal that brought about the fight. I looked for a chance to disappear but unfortunately was surrounded by students, infact these wasn't students to me but bandit. With no space to moved, stuck in between these bandit as I called them, I knew my day was going to be long. The last thing I could remember was, I got hit by a stone and was carried off.
Bloody oozing from many parts of my body, a lot of questions asking, was what made me to realized I wasn't in the hereafter. I found myself in a hospital bed surrounded by students, teachers nurses and even my parents. They also thought I was gone till that blink brought back their hopes on me.
After I was discharged from the hospital, my dad stopped me from playing football and also changed me a different school. The good thing about day was that, both schools signed a bond of good behavior and discipline in all activities that will involved both schools.
I got these scars on my body which also left a scar in my mind that anytime I see these scars it reminds me of that football match, my old school and those moments in the hospital. Even though this is a bitter memory it still brings smiles when ever it crosses me.
Thanks for your attention
CC: @njaywan