Kicking a ball isn’t something you have to be taught to do. Nobody ever showed me how to run hard at a ball, draw my leg back and boot it as far as I could.

Almost everybody can kick a ball. It’s not an uncommon skill, like carving a statue or repairing a motor.

It’s probably programmed into our nervous system. A kind of elemental and instinctive athletic activity.

I’m not saying everybody can do it well. Just that most people could do it.

When we were kids, teachers used to send us out at recess, throw a ball on the playground, and say, “Here, have fun.”

So although I never really played soccer, I can relate to what it must be like.

I went to Murdock Stadium the other day and watched the women and men play conference soccer games.

I love the setting: a carpet of lush grass, a canopy of blue sky above, and lots of comforting trees providing serenity as the breeze rustles through the leaves.

On the field, the players concentrated on the game, focusing on strategy and execution.

After the women won their game, I asked sweeper Britani Bresee what she likes about the sport.

She said it relaxes her because once she steps on the field she gets rid of all the worries of the day. Her frustrations and tensions dissolve when she steps on the grass and starts kicking the ball.

I enjoyed watching Bresee because she is intense and focused, constantly calling out directions and encouragement. She is the last player on defense, so her responsibility is to stop anybody who comes through with the ball.

She has played since she was little, and soccer is a way of life for her.

After the women played, I noticed the men’s game was a little faster and more physical.

What I enjoyed most was watching Sean Silver in the goal. Again, it was about kicking.

As a last-minute replacement, he did well, allowing just two goals as the team won.

But it was his powerful kicks that I looked forward to. He’s also the backup kicker on the football team and kicked 50-yard field goals in high school.

It was amazing to watch his kicks from the ground blast 60 yards into the opposition’s territory. His punts were even better, as he knocked them high into the air, majestically soaring 75-80 yards into the distance.

There aren’t too many guys who can kick like that, and there sure weren’t any when I was a kid.