Football

January 30th – February 5th: Richmond-Myrtle Beach

Published on February 7, 2017 by erikcpanzer

img_5465-2 This week has been filled with training and spending time with my friend, Marcos. Before I left Richmond on Monday, I managed to get a run in and lose a cat at the same time. I did everything I could to get the cat back inside before I left, I was unsuccessful. I then took a bus from Richmond to Wilmington, North Carolina. In Wilmington I was picked up by a friend of mine, Lisa. We grabbed dinner in Wilmington and then hit the road south to Myrtle Beach. I spent the night at Lisa’s apartment and witnessed a gorgeous sunrise over the beach from 12 floors up. I got some beach time in as I got the lunges and legs going before I was picked up later that afternoon by Marcos, my former teammate and close friend from Quinnipiac.

I spent the rest of the week with Marcos, keeping busy constructing things for his apartment, touring Coastal Carolina University’s campus, going bowling, and just catching up. The weather has been very nice down here and so it has been nice to spend some time outside in the sun and by the pool. img_5474-2 Each day I utilized the gym that is for the apartment complex and made sure that I got in the appropriate training each day to keep my fitness and strength up. And Sunday I was able to enjoy the fresh air on a nice long run too.

We also managed watched the Coastal Carolina men’s and women’s tennis games on Saturday. It was great to get out and watch some college sports again. After the tennis we took a walk down the boardwalk of Myrtle Beach. And the week was finished off with an incredible NFL Super Bowl. As much as I am not a fan of American Football, I think most sports fans would have enjoyed the intensity of the game and the incredible comeback by the New England Patriots. It was a great ending to the week, as I prepare for another big week of training and preparation for more upcoming trials.

On a side note, the sunsets have also been amazing each day as demonstrated by the pictures I have attached.

January 23rd-29th: Truro-London-Philadelphia-Richmond

Published on January 31, 2017 by erikcpanzer

So a surprise to many, I am writing this from a bus that is traveling from Richmond, Virginia to Wilmington, North Carolina. Yes, I have made it back to the United States safe and sound, and thankfully I have an American passport or I may not have been able to enter in the current state the country is in.
My week began as usual in Truro. On Monday and Tuesday I went to the gym, and then trained at Truro College. It wasn’t until Tuesday afternoon that I confirmed my departure from the club to return to the USA to pursue opportunities here. It was obviously very disappointing to have to leave Truro, but for the interests of my young career, I think it will be for the best. Tuesday evening I said my goodbyes and then took an overnight bus up to London, where I arrived early morning. I walked from the bus station to Buckingham Palace to say hello to Queen Elizabeth and then I met up with a friend who I hadn’t seen in 8 years. She now is living in London, so it was great to see her for a few hours before I left. I headed to Heathrow Airport via the tube and checked in smoothly.

I flew Air India from Heathrow to Newark, although we departed nearly 2hrs late, we weren’t too late arriving into Newark. Thanks to my US passport, as I walked through customs, I got a “welcome home” from the officer. Always makes me laugh! I then took the train from Newark to Philadelphia. At the station, I met a German man who was studying at University of Auckland back home in New Zealand, so we had a great conversation to pass time during the trip. I arrived into Philadelphia greeted by a big hug and a familiar face, my Aunt Anne. We headed home to drop my things off and then headed to dinner. It was lovely to be reunited with family and have nice conversation for dinner. After dinner, I re-organized my bags, as much of my stuff is stored at Anne’s from my time at University.

After a good sleep, I had a productive morning before I got on my next train to Richmond, Virginia. The ride wasn’t too bad and I was picked up from the station. When I knew that I was coming to Richmond, I reached out to friends who might know someone with a spare bed or couch, and the return was amazing. A wonderful family offered me to stay in a house that was vacant for the weekend as they were away. It was great to have my own space to relax in during the weekend, I just had to put up with two cats which wasn’t too bad. Friday morning I went for a morning run before I stocked up on groceries for the next few days before I relaxed until the afternoon.

The whole reason why returned was to pursue some opportunities with football here in the USA. The first one was an invite to a trial for the Richmond Kickers in the USL. As it goes in America, open tryouts, although being invited, can be up and down. There was obviously a stronger group of players that seemed to be seriously looked at, and thankfully I was in that group. Whether or not they liked me or not as a player was up to them. Over the course of the 3 days, there was a fair bit of football played, and I was pleased with my performance. In these situations, there is only so much you can do, and now it is in the hands of the Kickers staff. One surprise from the weekend was that of an old teammate of mine from back in NZ was there. James had gone to University in the States, however we had played together back in 2011 for Canterbury United when we won the National Youth League. It was good to catch up with him and play alongside him one again.

So it has been a hectic week for me, in pursuit of new opportunities and the week ahead will be an interesting one as well. For now it is back to training hard and catching up with my friend in Myrtle Beach!

January 16th – 22nd: Truro

Published on January 22, 2017 by erikcpanzer

This week started with a busy day in the kitchen, meal prepping for the next few days so that after trainings, I wouldn’t have to make food. I also whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, always go down a treat.

I was in my regular training routine which has been great, especially training with the local college has been beneficial for both parties. I get extra technical training in, in an environment where development is the focus, so thats been great. I managed to get my regular sessions in at the gym too, and down at the local park as well, so it was a busy and productive training week for sure. Feeling as fit as I can be without playing 90min, which is now the focus for me. And on Friday, I enjoyed my yoga class as usual.

Little story of the week with a bit of drama on Thursday night. To get to training I had to get the bus from the caravan park into Truro to be picked up to then head up to Saltash for training. Zane was injured, so I headed down by myself to the bus early to make sure I caught one, and I took the exact amount that I would pay £2. The bus comes and I get on and say, “train station please”, for the driver to punch it in and say “thats £3 please”. Never, in the 3 months that I have been here has it been £3, and I told him that, but he punched it back in and it came back up as £3, so I took back my money and frustratingly walked back to the caravan, grabbed an extra pound, and headed back down to catch the next bus. Of course just as I was walking out of the caravan park, another bus came by, and I tried to wave it down in the dark to no avail. Frustration grew! Finally another bus came and I said the same thing, “train station please”, and the bus driver said, “thats £2 please”. I just had to laugh, and in my head, I had just saved a pound.

Saturday was game day and we were up early and on the bus by 8.30am. The longer we drove towards the pick up point for the other lads, the more games were getting called off for frozen pitches. It wasn’t until we got to Exeter, that we got word that it had been postponed, so we turned around and pretty much did a 5hr round trip bus ride for fun on Saturday morning. We got home and I headed down to the local park to get a good one hour session in to make sure my body still did the work needed and expected of on a game day.

Sunday was a great day. I woke up and headed out for my Sunday run. I had it in my head where I wanted to go, and I knew it was far, but I wanted to do it. So I ran to Perranporth and back. Approximately 16miles, 25.6km return. It was a massive long run, but I spent 5-7min on the beach in Perranporth, just breathing in the fresh salty air. Perranporth has become one of my favorite spots in Cornwall, and so its nice that it isn’t too far away. There were times on the way back where I began to feel it in my legs, but it wasn’t too bad. In the afternoon, Deba, Jonesy, Zane and Myself enjoyed a couple games of tennis, and then we enjoyed some fresh scones and tea at the caravan later in the evening.

Thank the weather this week for clear days and a couple lovely sunsets!

January 9th -15th: Truro

Published on January 17, 2017 by erikcpanzer

I was finally back in my full routine this week. With the body feeling fit and strong, it has been good to continue to build on all aspects of myself. I got to the gym 4 times throughout the week, whether it was for my workout and interval run, or my body weight work out or yoga, I was there often and got a lot of good work in. On Monday and Tuesday, I was finally able to link up with Truro College academy team to get an extra two field sessions in. These are great because a lot of it is technical work, and most footballers know that there is always room for improvement technically, so I always take benefit from those trainings. I also managed to get my footwork/speed work/ball work sessions in down at the local park. As I have been told often, that my speed could be improved, I continue to focus on that. Training those fast twitch muscles to get faster. It will all be beneficial in the long run!

On Wednesday, it was Zanes birthday. I managed to bake a couple banana chocolate chip cakes for the occasion, and Mark’s Godmother, who he has been staying with invited us over for dinner. It was a wonderful evening with great food and a lot of conversation. They live on a farm, and having been raised on a farm myself, we sure had lots to talk about.

And we were treated to another meal on Thursday, as the supporter, John, that was taking us up to training that evening invited us over for a late afternoon meal before we headed up to training. A great meal as always, especially having that homely feel. After the meal we had some time before we left for training, so Mark pulled out the cards and we continued our card games, which by now we have amassed over 100 games I’m sure! As we drove to training, the weather was coming in. We knew it was supposed to snow a little further up country, however we were getting sleet and hail on the way up. Training was no different, wind, hail, sleet and snow. Made for a joyous time on the turf!

On Saturday, because we didn’t have a game due to our first round loss to Forest Green in the FA Trophy, I set out to train for 90min to make sure I still got enough training in to keep fitness levels high and stay sharp. It was a good long session, covering all the needs, and certainly had me blowing by the end. Saturday night gave us a chance to se what the nightlife was like in Truro. It certainly wasn’t anything too special, and was fairly different to what I have previously experienced in the USA. It was nice to get out at least finally after a long hard slog of a few months. Sunday was still productive with cleaning the caravan and my room, and of course, I managed to get a Sunday run in!

Sorry, no photos from this week :/

January 2nd – 8th: Truro

Published on January 10, 2017 by erikcpanzer

This week was full of goodbyes unfortunately, but the memories over the last couple weeks have been very special and I was so glad to have my mum and sister over to visit what has become my new home here in Cornwall.

The week began in Bristol where we explored the city a little more before dropping Michelle off at the train station for her to head home, and Mum and I got on the road back to Truro. Tuesday was the day where I really got back into my routine where I went to the gym in the morning, and we had team training in the evening. However during the day Mum, Zane and Myself headed over to Perranporth for lunch and a lovely beach walk with great winter weather. The sun was shining and the beach was just wonderful. Always a great escape to breath in fresh salty air and be by the ocean.

On Wednesday, Mum and I headed north to Plymouth. We found a nice place for lunch, before Rory and Carly met us for a chat and then showed us around a little bit. Rory was the one who brought me to England and got me the opportunity to play for Truro, so it was nice that Mum was able to thank him in person for what he has done for my career. It was the first time I had seen him since he was let go of his duties for Truro, and he seemed to be doing well which is great. Mum and I spent the afternoon exploring Plymouth, walking the Barbican, visiting The Hoe, and seeing the Mayflower Steps. It was a successful day, as well with the weather holding off. We were back in Truro in time to meet up with Ron and his wife who have taken care of me during my time here, and for the week were taking care of Mum. We headed to an award wining pub for a true English pub meal, which was lovely.

Thursday morning I was back in the gym early getting my training and workout done before Mum and I got in the car and headed a little south to the coast. Our first stop was Porthtowan and it was another stunning coastline. The diversity in the coastlines that we have seen in the last couple weeks has been amazing and this was no different. We walked on a cliff above the ocean and the views were spectacular, although a grey day. After a couple hours we were back in the little town to have lunch and figure out our next moved. Porthreath wasn’t too far away, so we headed there. It was a little disappointing to say the least as it looked to be a bit of an old run down port town that is no longer as active as it once was. That evening we had team training again. Training had been good this week and I felt like I was training well. Hopefully it pays off on Saturday.

On Friday, Mum joined me for my yoga class which was great. The class was busier than usual, must be New Years resolutions!! That afternoon, Mum and I headed into Truro to do some errands and a little bit of shopping. We then went for a walk along Boscawen park and around the estuary that comes up into Truro. It was nice and there are all sorts of exercise machine along the path to get an extra work out it. Great idea that!

Saturday was game day. The weather was misty and drizzling in the morning, but Mum and I still got out just to get away and clear the head a bit. We went back to Perranporth and wandered on the beach a little before we headed back so I could prepare for the game. Unfortunately, my training had not paid off and I was still on the bench, which was disappointing. The game turned out to be a positive result finally, winning 3-2. As always, just very difficult to watch from the sidelines and not even get on to contribute. This coming week will be a very important one for me! Mum and I went out for dinner that evening as our last hurrah before she headed home in the morning. It was just nice to spend some time with her and take my mind away from the difficulties that football is presenting me with at the moment.

And then it was goodbye. A very sad and teary eyed goodbye as she drove off to Newquay Airport. The last few weeks were just what I needed at this time, and Christmas with family is always more special. I was able to get out and explore Cornwall, Swansea, and more of England, which makes my experience here even more memorable. As I grow older, the time spent with loved ones becomes more and more cherished, especially as my life continues half a world away, and I just never know when the next time I will see them again will be. A very special few weeks for me for sure. To clear the mind a little bit and reflect on the time, I headed out for my Sunday run. This week it turned out to be 19km…I didn’t plan to run that far, but it just happened and the body felt fine. And now I will be ready for next week as it will be a crucial one for me.

December 26th – January 1st: Happy New Year

Published on January 3, 2017 by erikcpanzer

My week didn’t start the way I personally would have liked. Monday was game day and I was dropped to the bench. It was a little bit of a surprise to me, but the manager is now desperate for results so he was changing things up to see if that would help. It was more disappointing for me because Mum and Michelle had travelled from New Zealand not just to be with me for Christmas, but also watch me play for my new team. Throughout the game, there were times it was likely I might come on as a sub early after injuries, however I did not come on at all. It was tough to watch from the sidelines, especially as we lost 2-1. Moving on to better fortunes in 2017 hopefully.

Thankfully, I was able to put my disappointment to the side and spend the week with my family and I could focus on enjoying my time with them. Although, that did not mean that my training was forgotten. I was still able to do some sort of training each day to keep the body ticking over and ready for the game on the weekend. We did have a team training on Thursday. It was a good hard session that we needed and hopefully it will lead to better outcomes on New Years Day.

During the week Mum, Michelle and myself were able to explore Cornwall. We spent Tuesday in and around Falmouth, spending time at Pendennis Point, Gyllys beach, and wandering the streets and waterfront. Michelle and I also managed a 13km run along the coastal track to Maenporth and back. On Wednesday, we headed south west. We arrived in St. Ives early and explored the town and the port a little bit, before we headed out along the South West Coast path. It was a great walk along some pretty amazing coastline. The weather was clear blue skies with the sun shining, so it was a perfect day for a nice walk. After a couple hours, we returned to St. Ives for lunch and then carried on South to St. Michaels Mount. As the tide was in, we couldn’t walk out to it, so we sat on the beach and just looked out for awhile as the sun was slowly coming down. We jumped back in the car and headed for The Lizard, the most south-westerly p
oint of the British mainland. Once again, we walked along the coast path before finding a nice spot to watch an incredible sunset out across the ocean. The colors were amazing and the 360 view was very cool. As we walked back to the car, thousands of birds were flying around from paddock to trees and back to the paddock. There must have been some sort of seeds in the trees that they all wanted a taste of and we just watched massive flocks of birds dipping and diving and pooping their way to the tree. Was quite incredible the sheer number of birds. This was an eventful end to our wonderful day of exploration and travel.

Thursday morning was the morning we had team training and once I was home and nourished and showered, Mum and Michelle picked me up and we headed North East this time. We went through St Austell on our way to Charlestown for a nice lunch. After lunch we wandered down to the waterfront before getting in the car and heading to the Eden Project. The Eden Project is an educational charity which is built on a massive old clay quarry. It is home to two massive domes that house a Mediterranean biome and a Rain Forest biome. Outside, there is a wide array of gardens and plants all lining the area of the complex. We were there as the evening set and we got to witness the light and music show in the Mediterranean biome. It was incredible watching beams of light spread across the biome and bounce of trees and plants. A great experience, and with a little more time spent there, it could be a very educational one too.

On Friday we packed up the car and headed north from Flushing to Failand, just outside of Bristol. Just outside of Exeter we stopped at Darts Farm for lunch before continuing north. It was a lovely Air Bnb that was an out house to a massive farm house out on a nice farm. Very secluded which was nice. Saturday we split up as Michelle visited friends in Bath, and Mum and I travelled across to Swansea, Wales, to do some exploring there. We took a long walk from Mumbles, past Langland beach and onto Caswell Bay before heading back to Mumbles for lunch by the water. The scenery and cliff walk was pretty spectacular with just such a rugged coastline that was just different to anything we had really seen in our travels. And just watching the ocean crash into the rocks was intriguing with many different ocean patterns. After lunch, Mum and I got back in the car and carried on around the coastline to another spot recommended to me by a friend. It turned out to be the highlight of the day as we walked through some farm land onto sand dunes and then above on the hills. It was called Three Cliffs, and it was a lovely spot with great beach views. It didn’t take longer than 90min to get back to Bristol in time to meet Michelle for our New Years eve meal. And then we were home and in bed early. Not the most exciting New Years eve.

Sunday dawned a gloomy, cold, wet, and windy day, just for game day. A fairly relaxing morning before driving from Failand to Weston-Super-Mare. Personally it was disappointing again being on the bench and difficult to contribute to the team which is struggling. We started brightly but just didn’t stay focused for the 90min and it cost us, losing 4-2. The personal challenge continues as I look to win my spot back and continue to work hard and persevere, but also there is a challenge for the team to get back on the horse and get back to our successful ways. All in good time. Thankfully I have had the support of Mum and Michelle in the past couple weeks, which has really helped the challenging situation and refreshed me to kick on in the next couple months.

December 19th – 25th: Merry Christmas

Published on December 27, 2016 by erikcpanzer

A whirlwind of a week has gone by. With the Christmas festivities taking off all around, town was always a buzz with people shopping or wandering the streets. Truro certainly has done well with its decorations all around the streets and in all the shops. Certainly makes it feel like the holidays.

Regular training resumed on Monday with my gym session and yoga and in the afternoon we got a really good session in down at the local park with our Goal Keeper coach, Deba. And the biggest shock really was that Rory was relieved of his duties for Truro City FC. If it weren’t for Rory, I would not have gotten my opportunity here in England so it will be different adjusting to life without him. His willingness to give us extra training after training and to give feedback about my performances has been invaluable to my development in the English game. I will certainly keep in touch with him.

The week unfolded from Monday into a regular week really with training twice a day and getting a second session with Deba on Wednesday too. On Wednesday I took another trip into the markets to try and find a few gifts for Mum and Michelle. I was successful, however I made another trip in on Friday to get another gift that was requested. The city center was packed with many shoppers getting last minute gifts, and whichever street I went down, there was always Christmas music playing either from speakers or from a band or buskers.

Friday evening was the event of the week as Mum and Michelle were arriving into Newquay that evening after 40plus hours of traveling. What they didn’t know was I was going to surprise them at the airport. First I had to take an 80 minute bus ride from Truro to Newquay bus station. It was a double decker, so I sat up top, and all the small towns we drove through, I got a great view of the Christmas lights in houses, on trees, or lining the streets. I then got a ride from the bus station to the airport with a friends parents. Once arrived, I found out the flight was delayed. An hour and a half after I had first arrived at the airport, they arrived, and I was certainly a surprise to them! Success! Then we picked up the rental car and headed for their AirBnB.

It was just wonderful to wake up with family around and we soon got cracking into our day. We made sure to get our Christmas Ham from the butcher before noon, then I gave them a quick tour of the city center before we got the rest of our supplies for Christmas dinner and beyond. I took them out to the caravan to give them at look at my new home as such which was nice. Knowing Mum, it will give her a little more comfort knowing where I am living so she knows I am safe and warm. We headed back to the AirBnb in Flushing, just across the water from Falmouth before we began baking the Christmas cookies.After the first batch, we headed back to Truro to make sure we got to the Cathedral for carols early enough, and we were well early so we did a night tour of Truro city center so they could see all the Christmas lights down all the streets. Mum and Michelle struggled to keep their eyes open during the carols but we made it and then headed home for bed.

And Sunday was the day. Christmas had come, and Santa had somehow found me deep down in Cornwall! The day began with a lovely breakfast made by Michelle followed by FaceTiming Dad, the closest we got to all being together this year. Then we dug into our presents which is always nice, before we headed out for a walk. It certainly wouldn’t have been England if it wasn’t grey and gloomy on Christmas day. We walked out around a track on some farm land that was on the edge of the ocean. Nothing better than being by the sea for Christmas, just not like the true Kiwi Christmas on the beach. We headed back and ha
d a nice afternoon before Michelle and I headed out up the hill for a 5km run. Zane then joined us for Christmas dinner, and it certainly was a feast. It was a great end to a great day, and I am very fortunate to have had Mum and Michelle join me. I went back to the caravan tonight to stay in routine and prepare for game day tomorrow. A new week begins with a game.

To all my followers, friends and family, I hope you had a special holiday shared in health and happiness with your friends and family!

Pictures © Michelle Panzer

December 12th – 18th: Truro

Published on December 19, 2016 by erikcpanzer

It was a busy week to say the least. On Monday, I had to balance my training because we had our Cup replay on Tuesday, so my routine was adjusted a little bit. Zane and I were invited to one of the teams supporters house for a nice Christmas meal. It was a lovely afternoon and the roast was fantastic, and the conversation was just as good. The supporters have been great throughout our time, and its really nice to be able to get to know them all better and share our lives with them. It certainly makes me feel more welcome at the club and in the city too.

The week picked up on Tuesday as we had our FA Trophy replay against Forest Green Rovers. A relaxing morning and then some radio promotion around lunch time was how I spent the day leading up to what was a very big game. Once again, we were up for the challenge against a very good team. And before the game even kicked off, we had a little victory, they changed their formation to match our formation hoping that they would be able to play it better than us. However, the game was once again very even. It was a battle for sure and neither could break the deadlock in regular time, so we headed to extra time. We continued to fight, and 3min into the second half of extra time, an absolute rip from 25yds out that went top corner from an ex premier league player was to be the difference in the end. We had given everything, and had many great chances, including hitting the woodwork a few times. But we just couldn’t sneak one home. So that ended two great games against a higher opposition, which gave me confidence to know that I can compete at that level, however it will take consistency in my game in the second half of the season for me to hopefully get that opportunity.

Although it had been a longer game the night before, I still did my recovery run on Wednesday, and I found a few new roads which took me through more countryside which is always nice. I made sure to treat my muscles appropriately because it is a long season and so the body has to be able to cope! That evening we went into town and this week there were Victorian Markets, with all the stall sellers dressed in Victorian era clothing. It was a lovely experience with many great things for sale. Always nice to just look around it all.

Thursday and Friday had a little bit of my routine back together as I was able to work out and do ball work and then get my yoga in on Friday. But it was still important not to burn myself out as Saturday would be a 19hr round trip for an away game. It was a very early morning as we had to be on the bus for 5.45am. And it wasn’t the happiest of away trips. Another foggy match, and a less motivated team after having been up for the two big games last week. I personally wanted to focus more on my individual performance and make sure that I was switched on and playing consistently right from the first whistle. My refined focus helped my individual game which I was happy with. As a team, we dominated the first 30min and were up 1-0, but then two mistakes led to us going into the half 2-1 down. And we just got nailed in the head in a 3min spell in the second half when they scored 3 goals. And so we went down 5-1. It was difficult mentally to lift everyone up to keep going, so just a disappointing result for sure. As always, I wanted to learn what I could from that game, even if there wasn’t too many positives to gain from it. I had a 90min chat on the bus ride home with Rory about a lot of aspects of the game. It gave me a greater understanding of my position and my role, and just gives me more things to focus on developing in my game. So a very productive chat that allowed me to take the game, and put it into something that I can positively learn and develop from.

On Sunday I headed out on another recovery run and then relaxed for the rest of the day. It has been a roller coaster of a week, with lots of learning and many challenges in all sorts of way. But it is all part of the experience and what I continue to learn is great to develop me as a person and a football player.

December 5th – December 11th: Truro

Published on December 12, 2016 by erikcpanzer

What a week I had. Lots of training and a few other things to balance out my life, and enjoy Truro as a city, especially during the festive season.

We recently connected with the local College and we began our relationship with them this week as we attended a training session and actually joined in. It will be a great relationship to have and we will be able to train, along with learn from the very experienced coaches. On top of this training, I continued my routine and program at the gym, and my fitness levels continue to rise which is great. Plus my yoga twice a week is certainly making an impact in my recovery. As always, a few ball work and speed work sessions down at the local park to keep sharp, plus the two team trainings during the week. It is great to have got into a good routine with training as it allows me to monitor my progress and development.

On Wednesday, Zane and I got out of the caravan and went down town. For the month leading up to Christmas, every Wednesday evening, the city hosts markets on the streets and in the town square. It was lovely and festive, with food stalls, craft stalls, and various other things. There was also a local brass band playing Christmas tunes which added to the festivity. It was lovely to wander around and see the various foods from various countries, and a lot of locally grown farm food too. Once we had walked around enough, we headed to the bar to watch the Champions League games on the big screen and drink our waters! It was a great night and just good to get out and enjoy what the city has to offer.

On Thursday, we helped out down at the stadium, filling in divots on the field just in case we had to play a replay of our cup game this weekend. It is a chance for us to give back to the club and help out some of the volunteers that have been a huge help in us settling down here in Truro. When the lads found out we were doing some work on the field, they had a bit of a laugh about it.

Saturday came around and it was a very exciting occasion. We were playing Forest Green Rovers (FGR) in the first round of the FA Trophy. FGR play in the league above us and are one of the top teams in that league, vying for promotion to League 2. So a huge club with ambition and some very good players, some with Premier League experience. It was an exciting challenge that I was looking forward to, especially to test myself against better players to really see where my game was at. The weather was dubious, raining and very misty, but the game went ahead as planned. We weren’t expected to be a challenge to them or threaten them at all, but we held them scoreless at half time. Personally I wasn’t happy with my first half at all, but to go in 0-0 was positive. We hit the post in the last minute of the first half, so we could have actuall
y gone in ahead. At half time I rung out about half a litre of water from my shirt, gathered my thoughts and refocused for the second half. We just had to keep going and keep working together as a unit, and we were sure to nick a goal. Of course, the last thing we wanted to do was concede in the first 10min of the second half, and sure enough they made the breakthrough in the 50th minute. However, we absorbed the pressure and then turned the tables a bit, looking very dangerous on the counter attack. We had kept ourselves right in the game, and with about 20min left, we equalized from a corner. And now we were really pushing them and getting in behind with our pace up front. In the last 10min we had 3-4 fairly clear cut chances to take the lead but could not equalize. It finished 1-1 and we would have to replay them at home on Tuesday. snj_2016dec10a_sp-008-jpg-gallery Personally, I felt a completely different player in the second half. I was much more aware and clinical in the second half. It was a promising display in the second half, and now I will get another chance to put out that type of performance for the full game this Tuesday. For once, the bus ride wasn’t too long and we were home before 10pm. Recovery had already begun for me on the bus making sure to stretch and drain my legs on the journey home.

As my Sundays go, I went for a nice long 10km run to rid the body of any niggles from the game and refresh it and prepare it for Tuesday. I was lucky enough to spend the afternoon in the sun on the steps of the caravan reading my book, Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. It is a great story behind one of the worlds largest brands today, Nike. It is very hard to put down.

Highlights from the game can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/iF_70_VMaPQ

November 28th – December 4th: Truro

Published on December 5, 2016 by erikcpanzer

This week was a tough week mentally to keep going, to keep training, to stay motivated, to know that there will be an end outcome. But it is the possibilities of outcomes that do keep me going. Not knowing what opportunities may arise in the future is something that makes me work harder and train better so that I can take advantage of whatever opportunities do come.

The weather got cold during the week and both team training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday were below zero sessions. Certainly fresh air for sure. Although the temperatures were cold, the trainings were productive and I continued to receive feedback from the coaches and my list of areas of improvement keeps growing, but now I am aware of these areas, I am more prepared in games and feel as though my consistency is there and I’m developing in the areas that I need to.

With the weather being colder, it meant that the skies were clearer and I was able to witness some great sunsets from the caravan park. And yes, the sun sets at 4.20pm currently. And with clear sunsets, came starry nights, which are always lovely to see. Reminds me a bit of home for sure.

My good deed of the week was when I was returning from a training session at the local park, a guy was trying to roll start his friends car. I offered a hand and after a few attempts, we got it going, and I kept going on my merry way 🙂

On Friday, thanks to our teams Goalkeeper coach who works at the local high school, Truro and Penwith College, had organized for us to meet with the sports department and football coaches. The intention for the meeting was for us to be able to use the schools turf field as it is a nice surface, and as winter sets in, the local park isn’t going to be sustainable. Zane had been sick all week, so I headed along myself. I had great conversation with the coaching staff at the school and was able to watch one of their sessions. The schools top team is associated with Chelsea FC’s Foundation, and so all their gear is Chelsea, and they get to go up and train 4 times a year at Chelsea’s grounds, along with many other perks. Anyway, the coaches offered for us to train with the team, even coach some sessions for the team, and just share our knowledge with the group. One of the things that I will be offering to them is my knowledge on the USA University System as the coaches want to open the players eyes to that route. And Truro College is a top academic institution, so there would be great opportunities for their players to get into some great Universities in the USA. All positive stuff and a great opportunity and organization to be involved with.

Saturday was game day. We played Bishops Stortford, bottom of the league. We were unbeaten in 4. Confidence was high, but as a team, we did not perform. We made some crucial mistakes that cost us the game unfortunately. Losing 2-1. Individually, I felt as though pieces are coming together in my game as I continued to focussed on developing the certain areas that need work in my game. I have continued to develop a better understanding of the position I am playing, but also the function of our backline. So it was just another learning experience, individually and for the team. Onwards to next weeks FA Trophy first round game against Forest Green Rovers.

31e2764c-aa01-4ef0-a3db-ee1ae1a86cbd My Sunday run took me down new country roads and along some lovely farms. Just great to see the countryside a bit, all the while I am recovering and getting my legs back from the game the night before. During the afternoon I got out the cooking items and cooked up some Banana Chocolate Chip Bread. The first one was good, but the second came out even better. So a nice treat for throughout the week.