The Portuguese are Sports-Crazy
Horns, Music, Fireworks...and this is for 7 year olds
I went to a very small university…only 1200 students. So I never really got fully invested in college athletics in the United States. I was an avid Philadelphia Eagles fan. Tail gated…sat in the stands despite the temperature or precipitation. I even lived through the Kotite years which suggests I understood sports-crazy … I was wrong.
First Impressions
Our appreciation for the Portuguese sports fan began during our trip to Aveiro. On our first night in town, we decided just to walk about, getting the lay of the land. We found crowds like the one above outside of cafes and restaurants, all watching TVs perched on stands. Occasionally we would hear cheers or gasps. It didn’t matter that we were now blocks from the nearest gathering…we heard the roars of approval even when we were across town.
When we returned to Cascais we frequently saw games of futevolei. similar to beach volleyball but you do not use your hands, played on the beach nearly every day. We learned that Cascais had one of the top-ranked teams in the country. We also observed spandexed cyclists, typically in packs, 4 across in the streets. We saw joggers and noted that the fitness equipment in the parks and on the promenade was always in use. It would appear that the Portuguese valued fitness.
In October the Ironman came to Cascais. That weekend 4000 participants and 20,000 spectators crowded our town. Our friend Sha La and I were among the thousands that got up before dawn to watch these superb athletes sprint into the icy waters. We also witnessed crowds cheering on the athletes that completed the race … even those that arrived at midnight.
So the Portuguese were not only into fitness … they were fans.
Rugby and Youth Football
But it was not until last month that I truly appreciated Portugal’s love of sports. June was a big sports month in VRSA. It started with an international 7-person rugby event. We enjoyed our first rugby match in Scotland several years ago. Seeing the sport first-hand truly opened my eyes to the stamina and toughness of these athletes. No 40-second breaks between plays! No pads or helmets! So when our South African “family” expressed interest in the event we were happy to buy the weekend passes. We learned that the players in this version of the sport tended to be a bit less beefy, and a bit quicker. And as many of the teams were college clubs, they also had their very own pranksters.
But it was not until the last week in June that we truly understood how sports-crazy the Portuguese are. It was 21:00 on a Monday night. Denise and I were about to head to bed. We had heard sporadic cheers throughout the night. Our apartment is just three blocks from the VRSA sports complex. We were aware of something going on as the roads leading to the sports complex were littered with cars. But at 21:30 the announcer hit his full-throated stride. The Queen classic, We are the Champions, was played. Cheers erupted. I guess there were several champions that night because this pattern was repeated at least three times. Then fireworks … causing Onix to dive under the covers. What the heck was going on?
We walked to the sports complex the next evening. A Copa do Guadiana claims to be the largest children’s football tournament. Clubs of 7 to 17-year-olds from Portugal, Spain, and even as far away as China were scheduled to play. And while there was a beer vendor, a wine vendor, food, and a candy stand, in typical Portuguese fashion the event is more than a competitive event.
The child is particularly sensitive to the conditions of life that are imposed on him, responding, in turn, with behavioral changes. Sport will provide aid to young people and contribute to the determination of social, educational and cultural mechanisms conducive to their harmonious and balanced development…
Learning to live with others…
Learning to be a citizen and an athlete…
To create in the young the feeling of respect: for oneself, companions and coaches. — A Copa do Guadiana
As it should be…
Next Week: renovation update and if The Pergola is booked.
Great fun to share all these new aspects of life in Portugal through your eyes! Thanks again
Thank you Nancy, another interesting read.