Personal Narrative: The U15 Montco Alliance Team

Back into the story of me when I was on the soccer team. Being on the team in the first year of high school brings lots of honor, as much as pressure. I have to show them that I have enough ability to play with people who are older than me. For that reason, I decided to train very hard in order to prepare for the city’s soccer league. I was always the first one who went to the training camp and the last one who left there. It was the first

Approximately four years ago, twelve of us accepted a position on team that none of us, not only knew anything about, but also did not expect much from. We were twelve individuals that were seeking a college soccer experience at the division I level and if you ask any of those girls back then, none of them could have predicted the reality of the four years that we would ultimately spend here. This team had experienced heartbreak in freshman year on many levels, battled through the pain of losing in the semi-finals of sophomore year, and again losing in the finals last year. To be a part of this program is unlike any experience I’ve had before. There is always a supportive and positive environment; there is always progress being made every

“When your legs can’t run anymore, run with your heart.” Spring is the best time of the year, because it is soccer season. Spring of 2016 was a special time to me, because I was a freshman at Wahlert Catholic High School trying out for the women’s soccer team. I went into the first open gym scared, nervous and excited all at the same. The open gyms were for use to get in shape for the actual season and for the coaches to get a better look at our soccer skills. Previously in the year of 2014 I played for a club soccer team called DSC or Dubuque Soccer Club. After that 2014 season was over I decided to quite DSC and try something different. So going into open gyms I knew that I was going to be a just a bit rusty because I haven’t played soccer in a while. As open gyms went on some upperclassman were telling me that the coach was very impressed by the skills I had. Being only a freshman it was very flattering to know that the coach thought that about me. Knowing this it drove me to keep pushing myself hard and hard, because my goal was to make it on varsity.

The heat was oppressive and the drills were challenging, but I could succeed. Three hot days of drills and games, laps and running, and the try outs were complete. The tryouts were now over, but the waiting had now begun. Texts crossing paths, everyone anxious, refreshing the emails; it was more than I could bear. Would I make it? Would I succeed? Although I wanted to, I knew it would not matter. It was the confidence and determination I displayed that had really affected me. After hours of waiting, I finally received the email, and opened it hesitantly. Expecting a serious, not so inviting message, I was nervous; however, once I read the email, I was pleased to see the positive expression, “Congratulations!” spread across the top. I made it. I was finally a part of the

Joining a new club soccer team coupled with almost daily workouts allowed me to improve my skills in the offseason. The feeling of going into tryouts being so prepared allowed a new level of confidence to emerge in myself. With only two starting spots open, working hard from the very start was necessary in order for me to prove myself to coach. After making the team again, I knew giving my best effort couldn’t end here. I showed up to practices with a positive attitude, always ready to work hard. When the preseason scrimmages, long practices, and exhausting fitness checks were over, the feeling of having earned a starting spot was incredibly satisfying. Now, not only am I working hard to keep up my starting spot, but I am hoping my attitude will rub off on everyone and make the team stronger. Afterall, soccer is a team sport; and the possibility of winning a state title in the near future adds to my ambition to perform well for my teammates every time I step on the field.

I have always been told that I got blessed with my genes. Everything I do athletically just comes natural to me. I have had the opportunity to play multiple sports whom of which I have had success in. In all of the sports I’ve participated in I have loved soccer the most and track is just the most natural sport for me. I’ve played soccer for over half of my young life. Soccer just makes me happy when I play. I have also been blessed by being average at soccer too. I didn’t do well my 9th grade season so coming into being a Sophomore I wanted to change that. I worked hard in the off-season and I became a varsity Captain and I finished the season 3rd in the area for assist and was a 2nd team All-District player. I was proud of myself but i knew I didn’t give it everything I had.

Our school was never very good at sports and only about five girls would be cut. I was jittery the day that the varsity roster was to be posted; I wanted nothing more than to be part of the team. After classes ended, I walked to the athletic board, where the varsity roster would be posted. I anxiously scanned the list for my name. I scanned it again. As my eyes ran over the page a third time, my heart began to sink. I hadn’t made the team. I was one of five girls who were cut from the varsity team. In a daze, I went to practice. Instead of focusing like I usually did, I went through the motions. The five of us who made up the junior varsity team had a separate practice with the assistant coach. After the sting of failure finally faded, I began to work harder than before. I showed up early to practice and stayed late every day. Every weekend I spent at least two hours on the field practicing. I was determined to make the coaches regret putting me on the “JV” team. As the season ended, I didn’t stop working to become better. Any day that was not too cold, I could be found on the field. When spring came, I joined the soccer team, hoping to improve on my endurance and speed. Over the summer, I spent at least two hours every day running and practicing. When the field hockey season rolled back around, I was ready to show off my skills and make the varsity

After playing ball freshman and sophomore year, I began to lose motivation and love for the game. I began receiving less and less playing time and my confidence was being torn by the coaches. Throughout this time however, I had grown a love and appreciation for the sport of soccer. I had been playing informal pickup games on the weekends with friends. My parents encouraged me to try out for the team my sophomore

For as long as I can remember I have played soccer every fall and spring with a team. However that all came to an abrupt stop in the ninth grade during high school tryouts when I failed to make the list of about thirty-six boys who made either the junior varsity or varsity soccer team. I was in disbelief and questioned myself, “did I still obtain the desire to continue playing the sport I enjoyed for so long?” After ruminating on this issue, I resolved that I wasn’t going to let this disappointment hold me back from playing a high school sport, and I joined track and field. Track and field was an enjoyable experience where I met many new friends, however my passion for soccer had not died, and I was not content with my failure to make

For most of my life, I was skilled in organized sports, especially soccer, which I had played for many years. After a successful soccer season my freshman year, I thought that I would make the JV team for sure. At tryouts, I went through the motions of each drill. I breezed through the conditioning tests, doing the bare minimum for each test. I didn’t try as hard as others, as I felt that I was more skillful than most of my peers.

I was 15 at the time and was in my sophomore year of high school. Our boys varsity soccer team was having a terrific season. We were hoping to make a run for state, which had not been done in my high school’s history. I did not have much playing time while I was on the varsity team. With this said, I am going to share some background to my position on the varsity team. I first had to prove to the coaches that I would be an asset to the varsity team. I stepped up my intensity during the jv games. I was getting noticed by the varsity coaches and soon was asked to join the varsity practices. This was a great accomplishment for me as some of my teammates were chosen sooner to join varsity practices. Once I started practices, I tried veracity

In the tenth grade, I hesitated at the opportunity to try out for a metro team. There were many reasons why I did not participated, one being my confidence. My confidence was shattered by my previous coach as he would always criticize me and had nothing positive to say to me, therefore I did not try out for the metro team. During my grade ten season I went to numerous of soccer academics to regain my confidence. As a result, mid-way thru October I received a call from the head of the metro club and was asked to joined the metro team for the rest of the season. Without a doubt I accepted the offer because I proved to not only myself but to my previous coach that I could do anything when I don’t give up. I put a lot of time and effort into soccer

I have been wanting to play soccer since seventh grade but I keep missing tryouts. This is my junior year and I finally get to play. It was a slow start for me since I did not understand how to play the game. As the weeks of practice went on, I began to understand it more. I played the defensive wing and my job is to stop the offense from getting behind me on the left side of the field. I also take the throw-ins when the ball goes out of bounds on my side. I started a few games but was benched later on in the season. We won eleven or twelve games and lost about three during the season. The best accomplishment we made was being undefeated in our district, winning six games in our district. On top of that, this is the first time Choctaw Central High School soccer team for boys won district. The downside while playing soccer is I still sprained my ankle a few times in the games, but I ignored it. We also made it to the playoffs, but unfortunately, we lost in the first round, which ended our soccer season. I am looking forward to play next year as this will be my second and final year to play for this

I’ve been playing soccer since I was five years old. I first started playing in my hometown rec league for about three years and I was later asked to played on the All-Star team. After a few seasons, my friends and I all tried out for a travel club team called Zanesville Arsenal. We were in third grade at the time and I remember how excited I was when I heard the news that I made the team. I developed so many close friendships after playing with the same girls for five years, but my freshmen year of high school there wasn’t enough of us to make a U15 team so only a few girls got to play for the U16 team and I was not one of them. I was heartbroken to find out that I had been cut after playing for Arsenal year after year. I cried to my parents,

My parents and I both decided one warm Sunday night, which which team I would be placed on would be a major factor in which sport I chose. I wanted to be on the best teams possible along with the coaches and enjoyed the most. As tryouts were nearing, I increasingly became more anxious about the decision I had in front of me. My parents both noticed my anxiety and pulled me aside. “As long as you are happy with your choice, we will support your decision”, my parents had said. This had relaxed me and allowed me to perform my best at both tryouts. For baseball, I made the Willie Mays team, even though I wanted to make the Gopher State team. This put a sour taste in my mouth, because I felt I was better than certain players who made the Gopher State team. The Gopher State team was the team for the best players and the Willie Mays team was for the players whom did not make the Gopher State team. I was very disappointed in myself; however, I moved onto the soccer tryouts. The soccer tryouts were only for one team so I was really motivated. After an exhausting tryout, I learned that I made the team. I was jubilant that I had made the team. Right then and there I knew I wanted to choose soccer over baseball. This decision was not only based on what team I made. I also based my decision on the coaches and the players on each team. I already had friends on the soccer team and none on the baseball team. The