Áfram Selfoss! Go Selfoss!

         I’ve documented and shared many of my experiences here in Iceland, but I realize I’ve been skimpy on the details about what actually brought me here – soccer.  Pretty cool, huh? I certainly think so. I’ve been here over three months, and I still find myself in disbelief that I’m living my dream – playing professional soccer.

"See you at the field this summer"
The Selfoss post card we received in the mail!

        So, I think it’s about time to share a little bit about my team and my rookie season as a professional footballer.  I play for the Icelandic club called Ungmennafélag Selfoss, more commonly referred to as UMF Selfoss. The athletic club hosts a multitude of sporting teams including handball, Tae Kwon Do, gymnastics, swimming, Judo, Motocross, weightlifting, and track and field.

Most of the team before our game in Westman Islands

Before my first professional game

        This season marks the men and women’s soccer teams’ first time playing in the Premier Division, called the Pepsi Deildin. Last year, both teams ranked at the top of the second highest league called First Division. This earned their first appearance in Pepsi Deildin – the highest league in the country.  Moving up meant facing more experienced teams, a higher level of play, and ultimately, the greatest players in the country. Thinking of ways to improve their chances of staying in the league, the club decided to recruit international players, another first for the women’s team. Thankfully, I was one of three Americans chosen to play for UMF Selfoss this summer. Nicole McClure, a teammate of mine at USF, also made her professional debut here at Selfoss. Melanie Adelman, a Houston, Texas native, joined us in May after she completed her final collegiate semester. With a season full of firsts, I think it’s safe to say it’s not a rookie season just for us, but the club, too.

My goal celebration :)

        Considering the preseason polls – which predicted we would earn zero points this entire season – I think it’s safe to say we’ve already proved many people wrong.  In our first five games we earned seven points, and I managed to score five goals. Since then we’ve struggled to earn points, but learning experiences have been in abundance.  With only half the season in the books, more points are still to come! Our ultimate goal, remaining in the Premier Division, is still in sight! Áfram Selfoss!

Vestmannaeyjar - Westman Islands!

       My experiences at Vestmannaeyjar couldn't be better described than the title of my blog. Our last game before the early season break took my team and me to what’s translated as Westman Islands. Having visited the island for a preseason match in early May, I anticipated our next trip for two main reasons. Our previous game performance didn’t show our true abilities, so first and foremost, I badly wanted a rematch. Secondly, my first trip and current picture collection didn't cover the uniquely magnificent sights the island has to offer, so I wanted to be the eager American tourist that I am. Needless to say, both my camera and I were fully charged for trip number two to Westman Islands! I have to admit the second game wasn’t the rematch I desired, but the islands’ beauty didn’t fail to impress me yet again.

My teammates and I riding the ferry

The view of the mainland as we entered the Islands

   

          Vestmannaeyjar is a group of islands located almost 7.5 km off the southern coast of Iceland. The name also refers to the town on the largest island, Heimaey, where about 4,500 people reside. In January of 1973, the Islands received global attention due to the volcanic eruption of Eldfell mountain. All inhabitants of the islands were evacuated during the six-month long eruption. The eruption killed one man, destroyed most of the town, and increased the island's length. Fortunately, they managed to save the harbor from total destruction. In a future visit to Reykjavik, I plan to watch a movie that vividly depicts and describes the eruption in detail. 

Can you tell what the arrow is pointing to in the picture to the left? It's a man in a red kayak; That's how big the islands are!

The view of the town from the harbor.

       Prior to my first visit, many people declared the islands as their favorite place to see and visit in Iceland. Although I was highly anticipating another trip for the previously mentioned reasons, it only took my first glimpse of the islands to realize what made them special. The landscape displayed surreal scenes – landscapes thought to only exist on postcards and movie backdrops. The combination of luscious green grass, the gigantic black boulders, the peaceful blue seawater, and snow-capped mountains made for a view unlike any field I've ever played on. After the preseason loss, all it took was a glimpse of the landscape to replace every negative emotion with a sense of peace and awe as I gazed in amazement and thankfulness at the work of the Lord's hands.

My teammates watching rope swingers as I capture the view of the mountains and glaciers of the mainland.

     After the game my teammates took me to Sprangan, a popular rock for rope swinging. It wasn't until I watched my assistant coach masterfully demonstrate the proper technique before I came close to getting the hang of it (pun intended). Having grown up in Westman Islands, she knew all the tricks and definitely proved it wasn't her first rodeo. For the rookies of the group, myself included, she nervously watched as we took our turn. Fear of broken legs (before the season actually started) kept her heart racing until each of us landed safely on the ground.

Edda, my assistant coach, nervously watching!

Anna María, Me, and Guðmunda before we race! Keep in mind it's below 50 degrees Fahrenheit!

           Following the rock swinging, the majority of the team took a dip at the swimming pool. The two other swimming pools I'd previously visited in Iceland were no comparison to the famous one located in Vestmannaeyjar! Like the others, the water is naturally heated by the hot springs and offers multiple pools (and hot tubs) for comfortably relaxing in the cool air and scenic landscape; but the others can't match the slides! There were two exciting slides, one of which empties you onto a slick and slippery trampoline before you bounce into the pool of water below. After countless attempts, I finally managed to stand up the entire  ride down the trampoline - which isn't as easy as it sounds or looks! Thanks to Nicole's persistent and skillful photography, we managed to get it on tape! If you look closely enough, you can see I even manage a good ole American salute before I hit the water! Needless to say, I had an absolute blast!