Weekend Sport

What a great start to the Six nations tournament for England. Not so good for Italy. It's always a pleasure to watch though. There were so many smiley happy faces in the crowds many wearing brightly coloured hats and scarves in their team's colours.  All over the world on Saturdays and Sundays people will be going to stadiums and sports grounds to cheer on their favourite team. Every country has it's favourite spectator sport. Italians are passionate about football. We live near a football stadium. You know when there's a match. First of all there is a steady stream of men and boys and the occasional woman. Most of them wear a scarf or hat in their team colours and many carry a cushion to make sitting on the hard concrete seats more comfortable. There is a calm expectant atmosphere. While the match is on there are different types of cheers:-

1- Goal for the home team
2- almost goal for the home team
3- goal for the away team
4- almost goal for the away team
5- fouls
6- contested actions
7- contested decisions

You can tell who's won just by the sounds of the cheering. I often think how happy men look when they are at a football match.
The same applies to Rugby matches, Tennis matches and ski competitions, in fact any sport can hold your attention. Yesterday I watched the synchronized swimming, it was just amazing, such skill and grace and strength.

Some of my favourite childhood memories are of Sunday afternoons watching sport. My dad would sit in his armchair with the paper and watch whatever sport was on. It was nice to know he wouldn't go anywhere, he was ours for the afternoon. We could play around him, style his hair or bring him cups of tea, enjoy his presence thanks to the sport. So whenever I hear the roar of the crowd or the cars on the formula one race track I think of him and how nice it was being with him.

I always like the Sunday sport
It reminds me of my dad
when watching Rugby matches
He felt he was a lad
He'd sometimes go to Twickenham
To join in all the fun
His very favourite part of it
Was seeing everyone.
He liked to talk with Uncle Max
A professional referee
Who'd had to get another job
After damaging his knee.
My Auntie Mary always had
Hot chocolate for us all
It really cheered you up
When the wind began to squall
So for everyone that's cheering on
Their favourite team today
May it be a perfect match
A game full of fair play.