I am still a participant however. That running, that I used to do to get into shape for soccer, and later to avoid becomming fat, I kept it up. I used to say that I did "a little non-competitive running and swimming". However, I am very competitive - just not with the winner! :-)
2011 was also a pretty good year for my backyard swimming. However, with all of the traveling for the college search it wasn't as good as 2010, when I set my personal record for the mile. So maybe I'm not too far over the hill.
Alas, the days of neighborhood "if the net isn't torn I wasn't in it" volleyball, seem to have ended, with horseshoes instead. I still, in periods of weakness, (like during the World Cup) wistfully wish I could play soccer again. Actually, come to think of it, in fall 2004 Mt Laurel United had a "parents and coaches" soccer tournament, and I emerged unhurt.
I love college basketball, I'm an especially big fan of the DUKE BLUE DEVILS !! and got great joy over the unexpected national championship in 2010. I guess, I've gotten over my bitterness over my dissertation, since I can now root for Georgia Tech when they're not playing DUKE.
I like soccer; I went to a World Cup match in 1994, an Olympics match in 1996, two doubleheaders of Women's World Cup matches in 1999 and one doubleheader of Women's World Cup Matches in 2003. Plus, I went to the first event at the Linc - the Manchester United vs Barcelona exhibition in 2003. I wish I could tell you that I have Philadelphia Union season tickets, but alas I don't. I did get out to see them twice in 2011. FIFA has a nice web site www.fifa.com , which was particularly useful during qualifying (qualifying) , when newspaper info was kinda scarce.