Soccer has been a part of my life since I was three years old. I grew up in a Christian, and overall, athletically oriented home, so naturally my parents enrolled me into the first sport you can play when you reach three years old: soccer. Growing up at the time soccer was a common activity or hobby for me, I played it for the sole principle of having fun; which is what it should be when you're young. But, as I got older, the sport became more serious, my new duties as a soccer player included traveling from home every weekend, and extensive practices three times a week. I began to open myself to an entirely new relationship and view of the sport. Entering middle school my relationship with the sport began to change, and soon enough my lifelong hobby became an extension to my life, and a game of fun became a game of love.
Middle school began my true soccer profession. In the seventh grade, I was a part of my club and school team, where I discovered my position as a goalkeeper. When I became a goalkeeper, I loved it, the art came almost naturally to me. Little did I know, my newfound interest would change my life forever. As I began to grow in the position I fell more in love with the sport, the work, the pressure,
and the distraction. Becoming a keeper changed the whole game of soccer for me. The position requires you to lead, to persevere, and to be ultimately mentally strong. Taking on the role of a goalkeeper is committing yourself to playing an almost different sport. An art with requirements of intelligence, leadership, and compassion for the game. Without compassion and love for the game, the overall pressure would be exhausting and unwithstandable, but I found a way to have resilience and let compassion sharpen me into a successful athlete, and eventually, goalie.
Becoming a varsity Sandie soccer player has been a dream of mine since I was twelve years old, and when I became a sophomore, that dream came true. Even though I served as backup for our senior goalkeeper that year, it did not stop me from working as hard as I possibly could to become a starter. I trained hard all season, and even though I only played a set number of times in district, nothing set me back from undyingly supporting my team. Being in a constant state of observance taught me the humbling qualities of what it meant to be a true teammate in dire situations. Although it was difficult not truly being able to play in the sport, I loved the way I had hoped, I wouldn't change the experience at all, going through the raw emotions, growing as a team and person, no matter on or off the field. Sophomore year was the ultimate precursor to my next year, where I was expected to take the lead.
Stepping into my junior year, I knew there were big shoes to fill, after training all summer and trying out again at the beginning of the year; I earned the starting varsity goalkeeping position. With this title came great responsibility, I became engulfed in the grind of my junior season of soccer, preparing myself for the upcoming competition while maintaining my numerous AP classes, familial and spiritual life, as well as my current job. I knew the journey was not going to be easy, but my love for the sport drove me to push farther than I could have imagined. The dream that I had worked for since I was a kid was now becoming a reality. No matter the stress and anxiety I put my body and mind through, I couldn't let my team, and my younger self down. I had been mentally preparing for years to work up to face the best competition possible. Learning to design and build mental blocks to keep yourself mentally stable became another feat of the sport, and something I became good at. When walking onto the field you can't focus on the assignments due, on the dishes that need cleaning, but on the task at hand and now the enemy across the field. There are two frequent things I think of while on the pitch: the ball, and breathing.
After all, my hard work did pay off, and with the team, we won district and I walked away with a clean sheet (games without ceding a goal) for the whole district season. The true test came when we faced Abilene High in Bi-District; the team that beat us out of the state-run last year came out fierce and ready to win. This game was the best game I have played in my whole career as a high schooler. I didn't know what exactly I would be facing, but it was near the best. Many times, during the game I was supporting my team and making save after save. The odds were looking down for us after our defense and I were being pumbled with non-stop pressure; when suddenly we were able to get down the field and score two goals in the last quarter of the game. We came out on a 2-0 win, trumping the overly cocky team. Looking back on this game, I relied on pure instinct, leadership, and confidence in my teammates to defeat one of the hardest career games we faced as a whole. After this triumph, we went on to win another playoff game that led us to the State 5A Regional Tournament. This accomplishment has not been done many times in our soccer program. Walking onto the field against the 26-0 Colleyville Heritage, I knew the competition I had in front of me and the opportunity of a lifetime I had. Throughout the game I led, I communicated, and I fought. But in the end, no matter how much I prepare, sometimes it won't be enough. After the heartbreaking loss, I looked at the four girls I had been playing with, grew up with, and had to say goodbye. It's crazy to think about the preparations of a lifetime that went into just one 90-minute game. I walked away upset, knowing it wouldn't truly be the same, but held my head high knowing that no matter the outcome, the experience and challenges I went through to make it to this moment helped me mature and grow as a person. For this reason, I will make it my duty to continue to improve and do whatever it takes to get my team to the next level going into my senior year. When I came off of the adrenaline high of the last game I came to a personal realization of reality.
Being a part of this team has taught me to overcome difficulties and hardships between friends and teammates; by taking losses, wins, praise, and corrections with each other. My junior season was many things, and full of new experiences, but most of all it was an influential gauge of how I would continue to live my life. I woke up from the soccer-obsessed trance I was in after the last game of our regional tournament run; this is when I realized that my sport wasn't life. It was one of the biggest life-shaping moments I've had, although the love for the game was still pumping within me, it was time to choose between a life of freedom and academics or a life of containment with soccer. After that game, my life returned right back to normal, to the classroom, to the restaurant job, to the late-night study sessions, to the dishes, back to life. Preparing myself for the future, I told myself that I couldn't let myself become mentally, or emotionally consumed by one event when I had commitments to many. I realized my life was like a garden. If you give one rose bush all of the water, and attention, but leave your tomato plant with little water and little care, the rose bush will flourish while the tomatoes perish. I realized this analogy applied to my life, and I wouldn't allow myself to become consumed with the intoxicating frustration and grind of soccer.
My journey with soccer has shaped me into who I am today and has made me enjoy completing difficult things, accept the losses, rejoice in the wins, and taught me what it means to be a part of the team. Soccer has always been and will continue to be a part of my life, and I hope to one day share my knowledge of the sport with the youth across the nation. Through this game, I have found myself and utilized it as an outlet to clear my mind. Although my relationship with the sport has consistently changed and fazed as I've gone through life, I will always cherish the memories, and accomplishments it's allowed me to create and receive.
Middle school began my true soccer profession. In the seventh grade, I was a part of my club and school team, where I discovered my position as a goalkeeper. When I became a goalkeeper, I loved it, the art came almost naturally to me. Little did I know, my newfound interest would change my life forever. As I began to grow in the position I fell more in love with the sport, the work, the pressure,
and the distraction. Becoming a keeper changed the whole game of soccer for me. The position requires you to lead, to persevere, and to be ultimately mentally strong. Taking on the role of a goalkeeper is committing yourself to playing an almost different sport. An art with requirements of intelligence, leadership, and compassion for the game. Without compassion and love for the game, the overall pressure would be exhausting and unwithstandable, but I found a way to have resilience and let compassion sharpen me into a successful athlete, and eventually, goalie.
Becoming a varsity Sandie soccer player has been a dream of mine since I was twelve years old, and when I became a sophomore, that dream came true. Even though I served as backup for our senior goalkeeper that year, it did not stop me from working as hard as I possibly could to become a starter. I trained hard all season, and even though I only played a set number of times in district, nothing set me back from undyingly supporting my team. Being in a constant state of observance taught me the humbling qualities of what it meant to be a true teammate in dire situations. Although it was difficult not truly being able to play in the sport, I loved the way I had hoped, I wouldn't change the experience at all, going through the raw emotions, growing as a team and person, no matter on or off the field. Sophomore year was the ultimate precursor to my next year, where I was expected to take the lead.
Stepping into my junior year, I knew there were big shoes to fill, after training all summer and trying out again at the beginning of the year; I earned the starting varsity goalkeeping position. With this title came great responsibility, I became engulfed in the grind of my junior season of soccer, preparing myself for the upcoming competition while maintaining my numerous AP classes, familial and spiritual life, as well as my current job. I knew the journey was not going to be easy, but my love for the sport drove me to push farther than I could have imagined. The dream that I had worked for since I was a kid was now becoming a reality. No matter the stress and anxiety I put my body and mind through, I couldn't let my team, and my younger self down. I had been mentally preparing for years to work up to face the best competition possible. Learning to design and build mental blocks to keep yourself mentally stable became another feat of the sport, and something I became good at. When walking onto the field you can't focus on the assignments due, on the dishes that need cleaning, but on the task at hand and now the enemy across the field. There are two frequent things I think of while on the pitch: the ball, and breathing.
After all, my hard work did pay off, and with the team, we won district and I walked away with a clean sheet (games without ceding a goal) for the whole district season. The true test came when we faced Abilene High in Bi-District; the team that beat us out of the state-run last year came out fierce and ready to win. This game was the best game I have played in my whole career as a high schooler. I didn't know what exactly I would be facing, but it was near the best. Many times, during the game I was supporting my team and making save after save. The odds were looking down for us after our defense and I were being pumbled with non-stop pressure; when suddenly we were able to get down the field and score two goals in the last quarter of the game. We came out on a 2-0 win, trumping the overly cocky team. Looking back on this game, I relied on pure instinct, leadership, and confidence in my teammates to defeat one of the hardest career games we faced as a whole. After this triumph, we went on to win another playoff game that led us to the State 5A Regional Tournament. This accomplishment has not been done many times in our soccer program. Walking onto the field against the 26-0 Colleyville Heritage, I knew the competition I had in front of me and the opportunity of a lifetime I had. Throughout the game I led, I communicated, and I fought. But in the end, no matter how much I prepare, sometimes it won't be enough. After the heartbreaking loss, I looked at the four girls I had been playing with, grew up with, and had to say goodbye. It's crazy to think about the preparations of a lifetime that went into just one 90-minute game. I walked away upset, knowing it wouldn't truly be the same, but held my head high knowing that no matter the outcome, the experience and challenges I went through to make it to this moment helped me mature and grow as a person. For this reason, I will make it my duty to continue to improve and do whatever it takes to get my team to the next level going into my senior year. When I came off of the adrenaline high of the last game I came to a personal realization of reality.
Being a part of this team has taught me to overcome difficulties and hardships between friends and teammates; by taking losses, wins, praise, and corrections with each other. My junior season was many things, and full of new experiences, but most of all it was an influential gauge of how I would continue to live my life. I woke up from the soccer-obsessed trance I was in after the last game of our regional tournament run; this is when I realized that my sport wasn't life. It was one of the biggest life-shaping moments I've had, although the love for the game was still pumping within me, it was time to choose between a life of freedom and academics or a life of containment with soccer. After that game, my life returned right back to normal, to the classroom, to the restaurant job, to the late-night study sessions, to the dishes, back to life. Preparing myself for the future, I told myself that I couldn't let myself become mentally, or emotionally consumed by one event when I had commitments to many. I realized my life was like a garden. If you give one rose bush all of the water, and attention, but leave your tomato plant with little water and little care, the rose bush will flourish while the tomatoes perish. I realized this analogy applied to my life, and I wouldn't allow myself to become consumed with the intoxicating frustration and grind of soccer.
My journey with soccer has shaped me into who I am today and has made me enjoy completing difficult things, accept the losses, rejoice in the wins, and taught me what it means to be a part of the team. Soccer has always been and will continue to be a part of my life, and I hope to one day share my knowledge of the sport with the youth across the nation. Through this game, I have found myself and utilized it as an outlet to clear my mind. Although my relationship with the sport has consistently changed and fazed as I've gone through life, I will always cherish the memories, and accomplishments it's allowed me to create and receive.
