Ouch!
So the sun dawns on one of the longest standing players at TTFE, Karl ‘Karlito Kool’ Manley. Known for his trademark pose and habit of playing the game with a Phantom of the Opera mask, his time wreaking havoc as a playmaker-turned-goalkeeper looks to come to an end.
However his decision was tinged with some reluctance rather than one which implies he was moving onto better things:
Karl’s notice of retirement from TTFE this week
Karl’s long standing issues with injuries have been well known to members, especially as he has had several periods of absence from the game in the hope that things will improve.
We hope, like we have in the past, that this will not be the end of the Karl’s antics in his green goalkeeper jersey – but I’m sure we’ll see many more Karlito Kool poses at future SLODBN events!
Keeping yourself injury free
When it comes to injuries, as keen footballers we all know the extreme frustration which comes with taking a knock. Karl has wrestled with this for over a decade, whilst I can say that recently I’ve gone through this torturous process of taking time off, resting up, undergoing physiotherapy, getting back into other forms of exercise and then making light steps back into regular games again.
Thankfully injuries at TTFE are fairly low and after the majority of matches players leave with all their limbs in tact – which I believe is partly down to the maintenance of the pitch and the ‘controlled competitive’ nature that is part and parcel of the game.
But when it comes warming up and cooling down, TTFE can still learn important lessons to ensure that we avoid the possibility of injury through the lack of adequate preparation. How many of you actually stretch or do a light jog – rather than start kicking the ball around?
We could all learn lessons from Callum, who offers no excuses for anyone who says they didn’t have time before the game. Even when the whistle blows, the Barbarian is still stretching and lunging away – but always throws in a defensive tackle at the important moment when under attack!
Anyway here is a nice guide from the nice people at 5-a-side to ensure you’re keeping injury free on Thursday nights – or even at Gol and PowerLeague.
Stay healthy!
