Personal Narrative: My Trip To The Soccer Team

I wish I could include a picture of me playing soccer with this essay because that was all I did from age five to fifteen. Soccer was life for ten years so most people are surprised to hear that the fall of my senior year in high school I will Captain of my high school Cross Country team. How I became Captain of a running sport is an accomplishment I never saw coming. If you had asked me in elementary school, middle school, or even my first two years of high school if I would do anything but play soccer I would have said never. I am the youngest of three boys.

The softball team has gave me unforgettable friendships, the ability to play with such inspiring athletes, and has given me skills that I can carry on due to coach Sal. The first year I had started on West High’s softball team was sophomore year. I remember going to the try outs, feeling awkward, due to me not being close to any of the girls since we were twelve and eleven. All the girls that were my age, the ones I was friends with when I was younger, were all on varsity. Since it was my first year back as a Falcon, Sal placed me on JV.

The last four years of my high school career have flew by, especially my Girard soccer career. Many memories were made throughout my career from making playoffs my sophomore year to playing my last soccer game on senior night. The endeavor of striving to make playoffs for the first time since the 90’s. I knew after playing my very last soccer game, that I contributed to something that was outstanding for this program. That’s something that I will remember for the rest of my life.

When I first thought about how soccer impacted my life, nothing really came to mind. I was that kid who mostly looked forward to the end of the game snacks and bringing around the goal jar. But when I actually began thinking about more about playing soccer I realized that soccer was the first place where I was fully submerged into something completely new. I learned how to make friends, how be a leader, and how to have good sportsmanship. These are all things that have made me into the person I am today and it all began on the soccer field.

Summer was at full blast, Sunday league was starting and I was playing soccer every single day. I was ready for the next season of high school soccer to come and I was training myself to the limit because I wanted to be one of the best players on the field and to possibly be captain for varsity this year. This year was also the year our new coach, coach Jay was in charge of us because Olivier had left last year to to go to Michigan with his wife. Jay had already seen how well of a player I was because I played in his soccer club and immediately placed me in the varsity roster but as a defender and not a striker. The transition was difficult but I learned fast.

As an in-coming freshman who hadn’t played on a school team in middle school, I was at a disadvantage because I was behind in skills and didn’t know many of the tricks. Fortunately, the coach saw my potential and I made the varsity team. My coaches and teammates continually pushed me and helped me become an even better player than I was before. Over the course of my four years on the team, I faced several obstacles that made me feel weak and inadequate, but to overcome them I reminded myself that I loved soccer. The biggest obstacle I faced was getting a concussion my junior year.

The first two tryouts came and I was fairly confident I would make the team, but waiting for that email was one of the most nerve-wracking times in my life. I was sitting in my bed, waiting for the email to show up. I was a river of sweat. My heart was beating while I opened the message; Congratulations on making the boys soccer team; I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to start the season.

“Congratulations, this is the 2013-2014 Mission Vista Men’s Varsity Soccer team.” I still remember the words coming out of my high school coach’s mouth as he spoke to the new varsity team after tryouts. I was the shortest and one of the youngest players on the team, but my passion for the game was not any less than anyone on the team. I was one of the only three sophomores on the team with a team dominated by juniors and seniors.

Mr. Rowe is the PE teacher at Springhill Elementary School, and a lifelong friend as well, and so he was excited when I asked to come and watch him teach gym classes. Thursday, I had the privilege of observing two sessions, 4th and 5th grade. The gym space they used was smaller than half the gym in the Wells Fargo Sports Complex, and when filled with about 30 kids seemed even smaller. Fifth grade came in first, and since they had already participated in two form and technique sessions already that week, this third and final day meant they could put those skills into practice with a game of “End Line Soccer.” Fourth grade was the second class I observed, and that day was their first and only gym class of the week, so Mr. Rowe took them through some soccer drills for the first time.

I began playing soccer when I was eight, which isn’t a very long time, but throughout the six years I’ve been playing, soccer has changed my life. My weekends, as well as some of my weekdays, have been devoted to soccer. Soccer has taught me how to be humble, kind and how to make sure my emotions don’t overpower my

My focus on the field had changed. No longer was the ‘goal’ a metal cage guarded by a goalie–it was to mediate the entire field. Rather than competitively playing to win, my job entailed supporting the young players. I became scorekeeper, arbiter, coach, and intermittently, shoe-tier. The younger the player,

I live about 4 hours from Fort Wayne,Indiana. I am from Chicago,Illinois and was born and raised I had an amazing childhood. My parents would took my sister and I once a year on vacations. This would include all over Europe basically, Hawaii, Cancun, Toronto and The Bahamas. All my life I dreamt of because a professional soccer player.

Soccer is my favorite sport because when I am on the field I am on the field I am in control! The field for me is like my second home, not physically but mentally. Once I am done with school and done with my house chores, I make my way to the field. The soccer field for me is where I let off steam, I can let go of all my problems (even if it’s just for a little while), and I can relax, and just go with wind. I love being in control of the soccer ball.

“In a final championship game, we have to demonstrate all of our potential. Demonstrate to everyone that you guys gave all of your effort. Do not be the team that blew the championship game last season by losing 4-0. A final should always be a close and tough game, but I truly believe you guys will come out on top as champions of the league.” Those were the last words from my coach before the referee blew the whistle for the two teams to join in the middle.

Ever since the first time I stepped on the soccer field at the age of five, I knew this beautiful games hold on me would never diminish. While being able to play for thirteen amazing years was life changing, it also had numerous ups and downs that came into play. All were experiences that transformed my soul to become a resilient and determined woman. As I made my way through my athletic career I realized that I would not be able to play forever, but could not imagine a time in my life where soccer was not a part of it. Consequently, in my sophomore year of high school, I realized I wanted to coach once my career ended.