Almost two-and-a-half years ago, I was blessed to become Gino's girlfriend. Right from the beginning, I knew he was an athlete, one who played soccer in particular. There are some things he's said or done though in these past few years that totally label him as my athletic boyfriend. I'm sure you ladies can relate to at least some of the following scenarios. And I hope all of the boyfriends who see this article laugh because of how accurate it is.
1. "Could you get me an ice pack?"
There have been moments when my boyfriend and I have been sitting on the couch watching TV or playing XBOX and he'll ask me to get up, go to his freezer, and get him his ice pack (one that has straps so it can wrap around his leg).
2. He enjoys taking ice baths
Speaking of ice, I don't know how in the world someone could like being in a freezing cold tub. He says it calms the muscles down. I tried it... it made me so uncomfortable that I took a hot shower instead. At least he won't mind me using all the hot water in the future.
3. "AH, OW, CRAMP."
In the same scenario as stated above (or, maybe in more intimate moments perhaps), he'll cramp up and have to stretch out. It's half funny, and half concerning.
4. He eats an insane amount of food
It's not even because he's Italian, even though that's part of it. He eats so much food that he'll usually finish what's on my plate no matter how many helpings he's had. He won't gain that weight though because he's always working out (must be nice!).
5. "Could I have a drink?"
Not the "bad" ones though. I usually get asked to get him a water, Gatorade, orange juice, or some kind of protein drink. Then he'll chug the whole thing and want another. #StayHydrated
6. You go on dates to fields and gyms
And I'm totally cool with that! We've played soccer, football, basketball, stickball, tennis, you name it. We've snuck into stadium gates on high school campuses, rented out gyms at the community center, and even gone to the YMCA to work out and swim. I guess you can say we're pretty fit (or at least I try to be).
7. You become used to his sweat smell
Whether it be a victory hug, getting his cleats out of his bag for him, or just playing 1 on 1 casually, his sweat smell doesn't phase you. So yes, I'm the girlfriend that will embrace those long hugs even when my boy stinks.
8. He has his own celebration
This can be different depending on the sport. Some sports victories don't really entitle victories. However, my boyfriend plays soccer, so when he scores a sweet goal, you better believe he does some crazy celebration. It switches up from time to time, sometimes mimicking Cristiano Ronaldo and Mario Balotelli, but my favorite is when he did a cartwheel.
9. "Could you record this for me?"
I become his personal photographer and videographer at his games, or even when he is just training. It's fun though. It's amazing when he scores, but it's even cooler when he gets to look back on the footage and critique himself just so he can get better and better.
10. His equipment is in the living room
Whenever I'm at his house, my boyfriend and I usually kick the soccer ball around in the living room, toss the medicine ball around, or he'll do some tricks for me. Nevertheless, there's always a soccer ball in sight. Always. Sometimes he even goes as far as pulling out the Bosu ball from beside the couch and start doing a workout.
11. He hits you with that "BRB running" text
It's almost a daily ritual, which makes sense because of how huge his calves are. Running's no joke to my boyfriend though. Whether he's running in his neighborhood, or all the way to my house (yes, he enjoys doing that), he'll sometimes be wearing a face mask or a weight on his back. But good for him; I praise that. He's working hard while I'm hardly working.
12. He shows you sports highlights
His YouTube history consists of sports highlights, whether it's famous players' or his own. It's entertaining and informative because he'll tell you when that game was or who that star athlete is.
13. He's very competitive
What's great about this is that no matter what game or sport we're playing, he shows no mercy. Within probably the first three weeks of dating, we were playing basketball and he just swatted it right out of my hands. Luckily for him, I also don't like losing.
14. You go and support him at his games
I can't count how many games, tournaments, and scrimmages I have been to. Outdoor, indoor, in the rain, and even on live streams. I've watched more soccer live during this relationship than I have in my whole life, which I love. There's just something about watching your man run around, killin' it, and making you proud, am I right?
15. You start to love his sport
Even though you're terrible at it yourself. I can't play soccer for my life, but being in a relationship with a soccer player makes me appreciate the sport and his love for the game so much. I'll try playing with him, retrieving balls, or asking to come along when he trains or has games, just because I love how passionate he is about his sport.
16. You become his #1 fan
No matter what! You're there for them during sports, but also in life. Deep down, they know you're their #1 fan too, which makes the relationship even more special.
The next time you're with your athletic partner, be sure to cherish your time together and enjoy how they like to live their life. Athletes should not have the stereotype of being bad lovers. You just have to fall for the right guy, and I'm so glad I did.
