U-15 Team Camp Narrative

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

I chose to play another year of recreational soccer, making sure to come back the next year to prove a point that I can put in the work and give myself the best opportunity to make the top team. Everyday after school, I would head to the fields and practice every aspect of my game. I would arrive an hour early to every practice, and I would leave an hour after practice. Day in and day out, I worked diligently on my fitness. For a year, I stopped at nothing to give myself the best chance I could to reach my goal. Motivated after that dissapointing tryout, nothing could stop me from doing my best. Standing on a different field, one year later, tryouts began. I was determine to produce my best performance. Two hours later, every player stood single file. Coincidentally, I was the first person called up; the coach informed me that I made the top team. However, this team played for a different club than the one I tried out for last year. This team competed at a much higher level. Not only did I make the team, but I gained the knowledge and appreciation for hard work and dedication. People rarely receive everything they want; however, they can always put in their best effort to provide themselves the best opportunity at obtaining what they

When I started my soccer career during my freshman year, I began in the junior varsity team. I was not so familiar with sports until I started playing football and soccer. I once believed that I was not good enough to join the team, but after committing myself to conditioning and being determined to give my best to every practice, I proved myself wrong. Not only did I make it to the team, however I was also a starting player. For the following year, my sophomore year, I transferred into a different high school. There, I played in the Varsity team as a right defense for my sophomore and junior year. This year, 12th grade, I will be a captain for the soccer team. I was able to not only build strong friendships with my teammates, but also with

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.

The first day of tryouts came around and I woke up that morning shaking with excitment and shear nervousness. I ate my bagel and chocolate milk, (a pregame ritual of mine) laced up my cleats, and was on my way. The second I got to the field I knew I was in for a long day. Most of the guys were double my size and looked like they were professionals. After a few days of the long, hard, and grueling tryout process the coaches posted the team on their website. When I saw my name wasn't on the list I felt spiteful, angry, even a little ashamed with myself. I knew I deserved a spot on that team and I was determined to claim it.

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

Each member on the team shared the same values, emotions, and knowledge of that particular sport. As a freshman and sophomore in high school, I knew that I needed to be on the same level as my other teammates. For me to be accepted in this community, I had to show them my ethos appeals to let them know that I was just like them. Sportsmanship, diligence and perseverance, were the skills needed to show the upperclassmen and my coach that I was serious and that I was ready to be part of the team. The upperclassmen knew that I had it in me; all I had to do was prove that I could do it. Proving to older long time members of the team is not the easiest thing to do. They are cynical about every action you do. In order for me to prove my worth, I had to show an emotional appeal toward the “veterans of the team” which were similar to that 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.

My first practice was horrendous, my entire body was sore and I was light-headed, but I did not give up there. After the first week of practice, the coach had a list of who was going to be on A team or B team, coach Safarik started going through the list. I was really nervous, I was sweating, my right foot was shaking, and my whole upper body was paralyzed. Then it happened, I heard my name called out, “Oscar Juan, A team”, coach Safarik shouted. I was happy as could be, but I could not show my emotions just yet.

I have learned a great many things from playing soccer. It has changed my entire outlook on and attitude toward life. Before my freshman year at Cool high school, I was shy, had low self-esteem and turned away from seemingly impossible challenges. Soccer has altered all of these qualities. On the first day of freshman practice, the team warmed up with a game of soccer. The players were split up and the game began. However, during the game, I noticed that I didn't' t run as hard as I could, nor did I try to evade my defender and get open. The fact of the matter is that I really did not want to receive the ball. I didn't' t want to be the one at fault if the play didn't' t succeed. I did not want the responsibility of helping the team

This was to help myself experience the opportunity to communicate and work with other people cohesively as a team to achieve a certain goal, a skill that not only is prominent in the Post-Secondary Education system, but also in the work environments later on. Teamwork and leadership play a major role in helping the team succeed. The leaders often take charge of a specific position where they are most active in and they constantly offer motivation, as well as assistance to teammates to help establish a more effective team performance overall. Teamwork helps increase the effectiveness of the team's performance by having players offering assistance to each other and building on each other's ideas to help enrich the efficiency of the workload needed for success. I was able to demonstrate both teamwork and leadership to a great extent, as I became one of the more important defenders in my last year of playing where my team managed to win the championships. Our team's eventual success could not have been without my participation, as I was able to make many critical moves to help our team avert elimination from the tournament. I constantly associated myself with my teammates, helping them to achieve their task by having the desire to have the ball and passing the ball up to other teammates when necessary. My coach expressed great envy for my performance as a defender, often praising me

This year, as a freshman, I decided to try out for a sport. I heard about field hockey and I was instantaneously intrigued. I asked some friends when was conditioning and went to the first one. There was only one other freshman at conditioning and so many upperclassmen. I was absolutely terrified because I didn't know anyone (except the other freshman, but I didn't even know her that well.) They were much older than me and very intimidating. I feared the upperclassmen due to thinking that I could never compete with them. Nevertheless, I came to every conditioning I could. I met some of the older girls and made a bunch of friends. I heard one of the other girls were talking about captains practice, so I bought a stick and went to the first practice.

When I arrived at the first practice I realized that I didn’t know anybody on my team. The first week I was there all they would say to me was “Can you play soccer?” and “How good are you at

The room was cold and quiet. Sitting in a metal chair with my knees to my chest and my head bowed I broke down into tears. Stratigically placed around the room, the rest of my squad sat in silence as they finished up reading and signing. And there I was; cold, broken and crying. But it was in that moment that everything started coming together.

The club Aguilas FC was a third division which was a good way to start as a new soccer player. After few weeks, the tryouts started. When I got to the stadium I was really excited because finally, I would be able to show my talents as a soccer player. However, I wasn’t the only guy that was trying to get into the team. That day I saw more than 75 guys showing their