I have played soccer throughout my life, but started off not knowing or having any interest in the sport, to something I actually enjoy doing the most. The sport has always been apart of my life and my journey to success, I would always visualize and think of soccer and how to become an even better player over the course of time. My skill was not natural or was not given to me at birth, I worked and trained consistently to be able to achieve my goal of being the best player I can possibly be. Having this skill not only gives me the recognition in the sport community, but I have learned to communicate with others, meet new people regardless of who they are, interact with the real world, and how sports is more than just a competitively played game. When I go out with my friends or practice alone in the park or on the soccer field, I would always have the urge to ‘show-off’ my skill to a certain extent and not excessively boast; which means I am very proud of my hard work and how it can pay off the more I practice. I have also learned that winning is not everything about soccer and any other sport, winning is just for happiness. In the long-term, as long as I have fun and enjoy the intensity on the field with my teammates, happiness will come naturally. During many games of soccer, I have developed what any sport requires, it is confidence. I cannot play soccer with a low self-esteem on
As I stepped on to the freshly mowed grass that still had a hint of brown in it, I could feel the heat of the sun beginning to warm my skin, causing a sweat to form. The field was beautiful. I had never seen something so large before my eyes. My life was about to change as I stepped into the circle where all the kids were gathering.
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.
When I was eight years old, I played my first season of soccer. The real reason I played soccer was because my dad forced me to play. I loved to play all kinds of sports such as basketball, baseball and football but I was never interested in soccer. After my first practice I already realized soccer was not for me. I told my dad that I did not want to play anymore but he would not listen and made me keep going to practice. At my 3rd practice, the whole team was running laps and I tripped over a stick and fell down. My ankle was hurting pretty bad but I knew I was going to be fine. While I was lying on the ground, I thought to myself If I tell the coach and my dad that my ankle is hurt really bad than I won’t have to play anymore. I thought it was a genius idea at the time. I told them just that and it worked! I have no idea how my dad knew this but once I got home he knew that I was milking my injury. He told me something that night that I won’t ever forget. He told me “you didn’t just give up on yourself, you gave up on your team”. He called the coach the next day and told him that
As I stood on the field, sweat dripping down my face, it all came down to this moment. Going to practice for months, the bruises, the pain, it was all preparing me for this altering moment. I’m a soccer goalie, that in itself is a big responsibility, but tonight my team was counting on me to lead them to victory. We just played a full 90-minute game only to be tied two to two. I stood in between the goal posts, people cheering my name, as a member from the opposing team walked closer. Since we tied we are in a penalty shootout, the outcome of the game is decided on this one kick. See, being a goalie is a big responsibility, but during a shootout, that's when it gets unbearably stressful. The odds are not in a goalie’s favor. There is only an eighteen percent chance that the goalie will stop the penalty kick, but I was beating those odds because I already blocked two out of four shots. I just needed to block one more, one more and we win the gold medal, we win first place. As the player walks closer to me, the cheering of the crowd slowly dissipates. All I hear is my heart pounding out of my chest. It all comes down to this final whistle signaling the kicker to begin. I felt unstoppable, this was my moment to shine, this was when I became the hero for my team. The referee blew
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,
Hey Mohawks! This past Thursday was senior night for soccer. I would of never imagined it coming so fast, it seems like the season started last week. Words cannot describe how sad I am that I only have a few more games left. As we closed out our season Tuesday
Soccer is a game where nothing is predictable. Soccer is a game that’s been around since the eighteenth century and has a different effect on many athletes’ lives, including mine. My sophomore year of high school is over and I was finally over with a long season of high school soccer. Returning to my team of five years I was excited to go back and am comfortable with. Right as I approached my team I saw an unfamiliar face and instantly got intimidated. Trying my hardest to avoid him it seemed as if every time I looked over he was examining my every move. Of course that day of practice was a series of conditioning test to see if we were really doing our fitness assignments over the break. The drills consisted of a pattern of sprint got dragged out all along to eighty yard
I once heard a story of a kid who started playing soccer at the young age of thirteen and lived an hour away from anything. He wanted to become a big time soccer player. The first team he played from being HFC, when he went to his first practice it was cold and muddy. He was the worst on the team,but he tried hard and practiced six hours a day. The boy continuously trained and competed for the next year and a half. Until he became one of the most progressed players on his team. Then,he moved to Gulf Coast United where the competition was immensely more challenging.The boy is me and this is where my story begins. I became so infatuated that practicing more and more until it eventually became my life 11-13 hours every day. My team won a lot
Journey for direction In the late spring semester of my senior year in high school. I decided to take a risk with my future. All throughout high school I, identified as a football player. From a freshman I was placed on varsity and throughout my career I contributed heavily in games. Glaring into my history of sports I naturally believed college football was the route for me. During my final season as a high school student. I a major family set back. Lucky for me one of my teammates could not bare to see me leave during the middle of the season. He offered that I stay with him for the finish of the football season. I accepted his offer with much embarrassment and shame. For the first time the spotlight of being needy that I had been dodging all of my life finally caught up to me.
The feeling of defeat is one like no other. It was my freshman year, and I had just made varsity soccer for Vestavia Hills. The goal for the team: 7A state champions.
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.
My parents and I would always be at the park every weekend for my soccer games. Soccer is my passion and having the support from my parents every single time is the best feeling anyone can have. There has been times that I wanted to give up on what i love to do most which is soccer but my family has been there to motivate me .
Crash! I was on the ground. I clutched my knee in pain. My parents taught me how to deal with problems presented to me, including pain. That injury changed my perspective on my parents knowledge. I had run for a loose ball on