Personal Narrative: How Soccer Changed My Life

Ever since I could remember, soccer had been in my life. If there was a soccer team that needed a coach, my father was always the first to volunteer. There were almost too many strenuous weekends spent hours away from home for soccer tournaments to count. My entire family, consisting of my parents, my siblings, my dog, and myself, packed in a mini-van heading to a city that I had never heard of for soccer games. But when I entered high school, all that would soon go away. I kept playing the same sport that I always had, although now I had to wake up at five in the morning for six hours of high school soccer practice in the smoldering summer heat in order to make the high school team. High School sports were more competitive than anything I had done before. I put in as much effort as I could to make the Varsity High School team, staying out past dinner to practice even longer. I was utterly divulged in soccer and trying to be the best I could be. Soon, I would regret placing a game over spending time with my family.

Growing up in a house with all boys in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, I was taught to be tough and injuries were very common but easily shaken off. When it came to sports, I would put all my time and effort into one thing: soccer. Soccer was always a true passion of mine; as a matter of fact, it was more of a lifestyle than just a sport. I would spend weekends traveling around my local area playing the game I loved with people I enjoyed being with. My teammates became like my second family after countless seasons and we did almost everything together off the soccer field. The idea of putting on my jersey and lacing up my cleats was a moment I would not trade for the world and something I would never take for granted.

There comes a time when you have to grow up or are forced to. You learn from past experiences and base your recent scenarios from it. Since the age of five, soccer has been part of my life. From having practice twice a week, to having practice every day of the week not including games. I felt like soccer was my pathway to success. I felt like I could do big things from it and I had all the confidence in the world but never would show it when others asked me if I was good. I’m the shy quiet girl that shows you what I’m capable of without saying a single word.

Soccer has always been a love of mine. Without soccer I would be a much different person; it has shaped my identity. I have had many injuries that have restricted the amount of time I was allowed to play soccer, and while I was sitting there on the

Soccer is not only a sport for me, but also my childhood. I remember that when I was a little boy, I followed my older brothers and their friends to play soccer every day. We did not have the soccer fields. We played soccer on the quite streets or on the fields, not soccer fields, wherever we had spaces to run and control the ball. Because of I came a person like soccer. I like to play and watch others play it. Soccer is running is my blood. I am really interested in the soccer.

Soccer had taught me many things in life. It showed me the significance of family in all forms, to be responsible and appreciative of my peers and elders. I will never forget that day, no matter how old I am, because I had learned an essential lesson, to never give

I am extremely grateful for this because soccer has impacted my life immensely. I can honestly say that soccer has pushed my life forward in a positive direction. It taught me how to be competitive, hard-working, and how to deal with people I necessarily didn't agree with or care for. That competitiveness that I first learned at the ripe age of four is something that has carried on into other aspects of my life including my education. I always want to have the highest grade in the class and if that’s not possible than the highest grade that I can get. This previously mentioned competitiveness on the field and in the classroom translates into hard work. Dealing with people I don't get along with isn't something that I am the best at, but I have been working on it. I am not always going to like my boss or coach, but I am not going to be able to change that. I can think of a few examples where I have gotten into an argument with someone who I definitely shouldn’t have been disrespecting and as I look back I feel foolish and that helps me deal with similar situations that I currently

The next big milestone in soccer for me was when I was a freshman in high school. I went to Troy High and didn 't think I was good enough to play high school soccer. If it wasn’t for my best friend’s dad, I really wouldn 't have played. He told me that I would regret not playing and that I had a lot of potential. I decided to try out with my three best friends and we all ran and did exhausting fitness exercises for weeks during tryouts. First, we’d have to do five laps around the track. In the beginning of the season, those five laps are a killer. By the end of the second one, I am usually out of breath. After that, we’d get into groups and do stations, like jumping over bars or doing sit-ups and push-ups, basically anything to get us into shape. The third part of practice was sprinting. I like sprints because I am way better at running faster for one-hundred yards, than doing a long distance run. The next part of tryouts were the best, all the girls would get put into two teams and we’d just scrimmage so he could see our real soccer skills. Coach Haviland, who was the varsity coach, decided teams after the tough two weeks. He said I had a little maturing to do on the field and that I will be on varsity in no time. I was shocked! I didn 't even think he was considering me. I had a lot of fun with the Junior Varsity team and made lots of friends. By

Soccer led to days sitting in the park talking about our futures, bike rides to the beach, and nights of mischief. Around the same time I started playing and watching basketball. I remember watching Kobe Bryant play in the 2009 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics and thinking I want to try that move, hoist a trophy, have a crowd cheer for me. There has always been a sense of energy I got from playing in front of people which can be attributed to my competitiveness. Regardless, the only people that I cared about watching me were my parents. My father was always working and my mother also working among taking care of my younger sisters and I. That is until my championship game with the boys and girls club in 6th grade. I vividly remember my dad waving to me as we started the game and although we lost I was never happier. Basketball gave me a reason to smile. There were countless nights of trash talk and one on one games with people who were my rivals, rivals that are now my closest

In grade six I started playing competitive soccer in Calgary Minor Soccer Association. Soccer is a team sport, because I was more concerned about the team winning I did not focus on my own success and instead my teams. Since I was not as concerned about my own personal development in the sport, I was not as concerned about my own personal development in life.

Soccer is my passion because it has given me so many opportunities in life and I have most of my best memories from playing soccer. Ever since I was young years old soccer has been my number one sport, I have played other sports like basketball, softball, volleyball and tennis but soccer has been the main one that has stuck with me. Soccer has benefited my life in so many ways it has helped me stay in shape, meet new people, go to places I have never been before, taught me how to be a great leader, improved my reaction skills and fastened my decision making skills in tough situations. This sport has relieved my stress lowered my anxiety levels and overall has made me a happier person. Soccer has helped me so much with my anxiety and I am thankful

For as long as I can remember soccer has been a major aspect of my life. Throughout the first seventeen years of my life, my world has revolved around two things, soccer and school. Since the age of five soccer has been a huge passion of mine, which has shaped me into the person I am today. I am proud of the fact that through this game, I have shaped into a committed, responsible person, whether it's on or off the field. I've learned to take the qualities I need on the field and incorporate them into my everyday life, not only to benefit myself, but to benefit those around me.

I had to play in a position I had never played before which was a fullback and our first couple games I had to learn how to play it. I never would’ve thought I would enjoy playing soccer as much as I do now. Before I played soccer I was never a big fan of it until I actually played it. Soccer has changed me in a positive way because it taught me a lot of important life lessons. I will never forget these life lessons that soccer has taught me. They have shaped me into the person I am today. Soccer has taught me sportsmanship, hard work, confidence, teamwork, dedication, and commitment. Being on the soccer team also has some negative things. Sometimes our team would not agree on something and would end up in an argument. It taught me how to work things out with my teammates and get along with them. Also being on the team means you have a chance at making new friends. Throughout my experience of being on the team, I had some struggles. Whenever I was on the field and missed a chance at making a goal, I would get upset after the game. So my family and friends would motivate me and tell me I could get more chances at getting better. One of my biggest supporters was my cousin. He was a soccer player for 4 years for Dunmore and he always supported

But soccer has also changed and influenced my perspective towards everyday life. I hate losing when it comes to a game, which has made me very, very competitive when it comes to academics and even small games in class. If someone asked me, “What are you like?” or “How would you describe yourself?” , the first thing that I would say is, “I play soccer.”

I continued to play soccer in my youth and actually developed to become the captain in my club team as well for my other teams. My mother was there; every game, every practice, every loss, to guide me along the way. In the off-season she would take me to random camps to make me a better player. 6 years later , I had to go through surgery and I had to give up the one thing I truly loved. Wanting nothing to do with soccer, I