Personal Narrative: My First Soccer

We walked together to the field, the spikes on the bottom of my cleats clicking with each step on the parking lot pavement. A huge field with onlookers filling the bleachers on the far side came into view, lit up by the soft evening light. I spotted the girls on my team and my tired looking grey-haired coach. Me and my dad split up, me going to warm up with my team and my dad going to sit with the team parents. As I was passing with my teammates I watched the opposing team carefully. I observed how neat their drills were and how accurate their shots and passes were. They all looked so athletic and that really made me doubt myself. How was I supposed to prove to everyone that I was a good player if I had to play against a team this good? What if I mess up and the other team completely destroys my team? The loud buzzer that ended the warm ups sounded and both teams went to their side of the field. My coach called today’s starters out, and luckily he didn’t choose me. Relieved, I went to go sit on one of the hard metal chairs they provided for the teams on the sidelines. The chairs were uncomfortable but that didn’t bother me. I had other things on my mind. I sat shivering watching the events of the game

Growing up in a house with all boys in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, I was taught to be tough and injuries were very common but easily shaken off. When it came to sports, I would put all my time and effort into one thing: soccer. Soccer was always a true passion of mine; as a matter of fact, it was more of a lifestyle than just a sport. I would spend weekends traveling around my local area playing the game I loved with people I enjoyed being with. My teammates became like my second family after countless seasons and we did almost everything together off the soccer field. The idea of putting on my jersey and lacing up my cleats was a moment I would not trade for the world and something I would never take for granted.

There comes a time when you have to grow up or are forced to. You learn from past experiences and base your recent scenarios from it. Since the age of five, soccer has been part of my life. From having practice twice a week, to having practice every day of the week not including games. I felt like soccer was my pathway to success. I felt like I could do big things from it and I had all the confidence in the world but never would show it when others asked me if I was good. I’m the shy quiet girl that shows you what I’m capable of without saying a single word.

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?

I was told that on the day of my birth, the operating room was overcrowded with medical staff, bright

I have known it for fifteen years. For fifteen years I have lived, breathed, and marveled at it. I am only eighteen years old meaning it has taken up almost all of my life. I know nothing else but this, and it is soccer. Soccer has been my lifestyle ever since I was able to walk and it has been what keeps me going and keeps me motivated in life. Soccer has made me who I am today and has taught me almost everything I have ever needed to know.

People in this world, have a heart that makes them fall in love. I'm not talking about, love with another person, but instead with an activity, a hobby or a job. As for me, my heart pulled me towards soccer. I was born in Mexico City, and us Mexicans are huge soccer fans. I was raised in a soccer family and ever since, a ball has followed me around my whole life.

I grew up with a love towards sports. Sure I started off in ballet and gymnastics but one day my best friend told me I should play soccer with her. So of course I begged my mom to let me do another sport. Little did I know soccer would have such a big impact on my life. I started off with playing recreational league soccer. My first coach, was my softball coach, and he decided I would be a perfect forward. As the years went on and I got a different coach my position changed. I went from a forward to a midfielder then finally a defender.

“McClure, you are a waste of oxygen and life”, my verbally abusive coach spit from him flaming mouth one last time as I walked out of his office. I was numb, and in shock, but relaxed, oddly feeling at peace with myself and my decision. Soccer had brought so much confidence, passion, work ethic, and pure joy to my life, it was something so stable and rewarding for 15 years. 15 years of endless passion enwrapped in pain and sweat, accompanied by life lessons I could not have gone on without, yet within 2 years, this wonderful aspect of my existence collapsed.

With my stick in my hand and passion in my heart, I looked to my left to see the group of fearsome girls practicing in silence on the turf field. With this sight, I muttered quietly to myself underneath my breath, “Never Again”. Over the course of my enduring three years in high school so far, I have been apart of many different communities with diverse people coming together to express unity amongst each other. The exposure of different clubs, sports teams, and friend groups have shown me many unique ideas and lessons. However, the lesson I have valued the most was my choice of finding a sport that made me feel more positive and allowed me to succeed to my full potential.

I have always loved soccer, ever since I was small and had just started it, along with kindergarten. Now I was venturing into a new level of soccer: elementary school soccer. For the past year, I had been watching professional soccer, making sure to learn from every important detail that had made those larger than life players so extraordinary, so talented, and so perfect. I wrote down facts, statistics, and formations that seemed to bring them success. I practiced soccer often. For a while, I would practice for an hour or more at home after school, and when it got too cold to go outside, I would go in my garage to juggle and shoot the ball, then up to two hours at a time. I was so excited for the elementary school soccer program and I thought

In the spring of 2016, I began to think about my senior project while I was preparing for my own spring soccer season to start. My friend, Atya Van Ness, reached out to me about an opportunity of coaching a U6 team that same season. I enjoyed the idea of coaching the next generation of soccer players and building their skills and passion for the sport the same way I did almost 10 years ago. I immediately told her I was interested and began the process of searching for a mentor.

FWOOSH! I shot and seemed to be in a matrix or slow-motion trance as I watched the ball swerve in the air and the goalie jump in the air stretching for the ball, then, WHOOSH! Everything was back to normal again and I had just realized I had scored!! I was 11 years old and it was early fall at the annual Danny Cuniff tournament. This is where I learned the valuable lesson that all of your hard work pays off in the end.

As we approach the field that’s when the whispers start from the team. The bus comes to a screeching halt. We walk off the bus still in silence. As we walk towards the field, we see the other team. They were bigger than us, stronger than us, their team had more players than what we had, but that didn’t matter to me. We take 15 minutes to warm up before the game making sure get our blood flowing and getting rid of any nerves that we had. The sunny summer sky,

The first thing I did as I arrived at the field was to scan my surroundings. I wanted to evaluate the ability of the other players playing. To my disappointment, they all seemed very skilled with the soccer ball. Furthermore, as I was intensely watching their game, many negative thoughts rushed through my