Personal Narrative: Becoming A Professional Soccer Player

Christian like's to play soccer but he isn't that good . He want's to make to the soccer team, but the soccer coach doesn't think that he is good enough to make it, The other soccer players and his parents don't believe in him either.

Growing up I had focused on competitive soccer. Soccer challenged me both physically and mentally and I learned to love these demands on the field. These challenges helped me foster a self-confidence in myself when it came to athletics. When I fractured my tibia playing against my rival high school, sending my knee cap into my thigh, I was faced with a new test. The sport that I loved was taken away from me for an extended period of time and it took away part of my identity. Who was I without soccer?

It was a cold day in November: an icy breeze blowing across a green soccer pitch in Jackson, Mississippi. Fans along the sideline cheering on the Jackson Elite FC. I took the field feeling the pressure of gameday bearing down like i had weights on my shoulders. This was the first time I had every started as a forward in a soccer game. The referee brings the ball to midfield and sets it down. I hear my parents cheering from the sidelines. The opposing team kicks off and the game is on.

As a child, I grew up playing travel soccer, and it was what my life revolved around. My weekdays were filled with practices, my weekends filled with tournaments. Soccer was all I knew and all I wanted to do. I had dreams of making my high school varsity team, and even one day playing when I got to college. This all changed during one weekend tournament. My team and I were in the first half of the first game that weekend when I was injured and carried off the field. From that point, I never stepped foot into a soccer game again.

I fell in love with the game that not only has taught me about my origin but also about my future. Cancelling events due to practice, weekend games, and family night watch parties are some of the ways soccer affects my life. Soccer is a passion I found that shapes me as a person with its frenzy and positive spirit but it also ties me to my family, culture, and heritage. For instance, every four years the World Cup brings my family and me much joy.

In the summer before my senior year, I tore my ACL while playing a small soccer scrimmage. The doctor explained my injury as very common in female soccer. But the heartbreaking reality made me feel much more than the statistic on the dry erase board that Dr. Mayer held. I loved waking up, going to school, and finishing the day with some type of sports practice! After the incident happened, I cried and whimpered for hours as my leg swelled to the size of a balloon. But the pain was much more than skin and muscle deep. With a post-surgery recovery time of nine months, I realized my high school athletic career had come to an abrupt and expeditious end. I had also ran out of college credits at my small school in the same year. Because of this,

“Go Spartans Go!” screamed the crowd as we took the field. I felt nervous, with sweat dripping from my face and my hands feeling moist. The moment I took my position, I felt destined to be the best player on the field and thought to myself, “I can do it.” It was my first start for my career as a varsity soccer player for Brookfield East. I wanted to make every opportunity count. I could smell the scent of the freshly cut grass and the aroma of the concession stand. The referee blew his whistle and we were off to the races. The first 45 minutes went by in a heartbeat and I was exhausted. 5 minutes after halftime, the unthinkable happened. As I was sprinting for the ball, my knee gave out and twisted beneath me. I fell in an instant and I felt

Throughout my lifetime, activities, events, and services that I am involved in have shaped me as a person. The one thing that I personally think has had the most impact on my character is being a soccer coach for Lil’ Kickers, it has given me qualities of leadership that will carry on throughout my entire life.

Chasing the ball down the field to soon hear a loud crack followed by silence.

Soccer has been my passion ever since I was a young child and my love for the game is always growing. I have gained a lot of experience and knowledge of the game by playing with various teams, but I know there is always more to learn. Watching how hard people, such as the pros, work for what they have reached inspires me, which is why I always try my best in practice and try to improve everyday. I try to be the most hardworking player in practice and in the games, but as captain of both my club and high school team, I try to encourage all of my teammates as well. Living in a small community, far from bigger oportunities, I feel like I haven't been able to fully show more people what I'm truly capable of. I believe that because of my determination,

I started playing soccer when I was eight. It was house league which means girls and boys mixed, and my dad coached. I though it was gonna be awesome. Apparently the people who made the teams thought that Courtney was a masculine name and placed me on a team with all boys. This didn’t vex me though because my dad was coaching, and I didn’t need to talk to the boys anyway since I just played defence and all I did was sing to myself and pick the clovers that littered the field. Plus boys have cooties. I kept playing house league for two years, until people started to get pretty good and I was still smaller than most people my age. I stopped playing for two years because I became aware that I wasn’t the best player on the field, also being the coaches daughter was no longer the exciting privilege it used to be.

I grew up playing soccer as kid and participate I various tournaments in highs school playing for school team. Soccer has been a part of my life from the beginning. My family are all soccer fanatics heck my nation itself (Nigeria) are soccer fanatics. “Football” as we call it back home was almost like a tradition and very much part of our culture as a nation. I played soccer at every chance I had whether it were on the streets barefooted or on a proper field. Needless to say, it is my favorite sport and I play with a couple of friends on the weekends. However, when I’m not raving about soccer, I do engage in artwork and animations. I love to draw, mostly cartoons or comics. I find it very relaxing to just pick a pen or pencil and draw. I often

I have played soccer since Preschool, and while I don’t receive any MVP trophies, I can play fairly well. Soccer is who I am. Correction: soccer is who I was. Going into my junior year, I thought I would continue to play for my high school as I had my sophomore year. But , they said “they couldn’t find a spot for me on varsity.” My friends and family expected me to feel shattered, but I didn’t, not yet at least. I felt numb, not fully realizing what this meant. Not realizing that I wouldn’t spend the fall with the friends I trained all summer with, not realizing that I wouldn’t feel the pride for the great Oak Hills High everytime I put on my jersey, not realizing the embarrassment I would feel when people questioned why my name was absent from the roster. Putting on a brave front, even for myself, I told everyone I didn’t care; however, a few days later I realized all the cherished experiences I would miss and I sobbed. It’s challenging to hear that all of your hopes, dreams, and aspirations of the past twelve years, which at sixteen made up

The soccer ball rolled towards me and before kicking it in half a second, I felt the warm sunset kiss my wet, dirty face. I kick the ball as hard as I could with all of my strength making the ball curve into the goalie’s position. GOAL! I scored my first ever point out of all the games I have played with my team. As I was cheering with my teammates, I look back to see my family. They were all sitting there watching happily and shouting my name with praise. I jogged back to my position. I remember when my mom, my coach, and I went to the soccer shop to buy my own equipment for soccer. As I saw all these amazing things in awe, my mom and my coach already have bought me the things that I needed to play. I didn’t notice it until they brought me home with a surprise of a bag full of equipment.

One day May 17, 1977 one wonderful women gave birth to a baby girl at noon. I was literally born with the worlds biggest passion for soccer. I was living with a soccer life. It even in my blood. For example both my dad and uncle were soccer players while my dad is scoring goals my uncle had the most important job, watching all the games. I wouldn't even be alive if soccer wasn't in my life or even Cristiano Ronaldo.