Well, let me tell you, I heard some folks talking ’bout left handed soccer players the other day. Seems like there’s somethin’ special ’bout them southpaws on the field. I don’t know much ’bout all that fancy footwork, but I’ve seen a game or two in my time.
They say these lefties, they’re a bit like a hen with its head cut off, runnin’ every which way, but somehow they make it work! It’s like tryin’ to catch a greased pig at the county fair – you just don’t know which way they’re gonna go. And that’s what makes ’em good, I reckon. Keeps them other players on their toes, like a cat watchin’ a mouse hole.
Some say only about 10% of people are left-handed, that the same as left-footed. That not many, you know. Like findin’ a four-leaf clover in a whole field of green. Rare as hen’s teeth, as they say.
Now, I heard tell that somethin’ like 36% of them players in that A-League, whatever that is, are left-footed. That’s a whole heap more than 10%, ain’t it? Must be somethin’ to it, then. Maybe bein’ a lefty gives ’em an edge, like havin’ an extra ace up your sleeve in a card game.
I reckon it’s ’cause them right-footed players, they ain’t used to seein’ a ball comin’ at ’em from that direction. It is like a surprise, you know? Like that time my rooster, Bartholomew, started layin’ eggs. Took us all by surprise, I tell ya! These left handed soccer players, they’re full of surprises, just like old Bartholomew.
- They say it makes ’em unpredictable.
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Maybe they see the field different, like lookin’ through a
different window.
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Could be they’re just more stubborn, like my old mule, Bessie.
Some smart aleck was sayin’ that a bunch of them Ballon d’Or winners, whatever those are, were lefties. Eight out of 21, they said. That’s a lot, ain’t it? Sounds like pickin’ the best apples from the whole orchard and findin’ a good chunk of ’em came from the same tree. Makes you wonder if that tree’s got somethin’ special in its roots, don’t it?
Back in my day, we didn’t have all these fancy words for it. We just knew some folks were better with their left hand, or foot, than others. My cousin, Earl, he could throw a baseball with his left hand like nobody’s business. Used to strike out all the other boys. They called him “Lefty” Earl, naturally. He didn’t play no soccer, though. Just baseball and a little bit of boxed.
And, you know, Earl, he had a way of lookin’ at things different. Always thinkin’ outside the box, as they say nowadays. Maybe that’s what it is with these left handed soccer players. They just see the game a little different. Like lookin’ at a quilt pattern upside down – it’s still the same pattern, but it looks different, don’t it?
I heard some people talkin’ ’bout how lefties are better at one-on-one sports. You know, like boxin’ or tennis. They said that left-handed boxers win more often than right-handed ones. Somethin’ like 52% for the men and 54% for the women. That’s more than half, ain’t it? Must be somethin’ to that left-handed advantage they talk about.
Now, I don’t know about all that science stuff, but I do know that bein’ different can be a good thing. Like a patch of wildflowers in a field of corn – it just stands out, don’t it? These left handed soccer players, they stand out. They make the game more interestin’, like addin’ a little spice to your stew. Makes you sit up and take notice.
Here are some things I heard ’bout them lefties:
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They say they’re good at thinkin’ on their feet. Quick like a
rabbit, you know.
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Some folks say they’re more creative, like my Aunt Millie
and her quilt makin’.
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And others say they’re just plain better, like a prize-
winnin’ pie at the state fair.
So, there you have it. That’s all I know ’bout them left handed soccer players. They’re a special bunch, that’s for sure. Like a blue moon or a two-headed calf – somethin’ you don’t see every day. And they sure do make that soccer game a whole lot more fun to watch, even for an old gal like me.
I remember one time, back when I was a girl, we had a fella come through town who could juggle with his feet. Now, he wasn’t a soccer player, mind you, but he could keep three oranges in the air at once, just usin’ his feet! And he was left-footed, too, as I recall. Maybe there’s just somethin’ magical about that left foot, after all. Who knows? It’s a mystery, like why the sky is blue or why chickens cross the road. Some things you just gotta accept, I reckon. And them lefties on the soccer field, they’re one of them things.
