This personal narrative is published in collaboration with Alexa Ault’s English classes and was edited for grammar and AP style by a Knight Life editor.
The first time I touched the ball, I didn’t know it was what would make me feel unstoppable. It was age 3 when I started playing the sport I would turn out to love and have an unbelievable passion for. I felt something I had never had before when running down the field trying to kick a ball between 3 posts and the ground. If you never find what you truly love, it may never shape who you are and what your future could hold for you.
I started playing soccer after my older cousin started playing soccer, encouraging my parents to sign me up. She thought the sport was the best: it brought her joy, and she found a passion in playing. I started at a local junior’s club called “Kingdom.” It was just a whole bunch of toddlers running around.
As I got older, I progressed to bigger teams. My favorite time to play soccer is in the freezing cold rain. It may seem terrible to think about it, but it’s the best. Two teams are competing for a better spot in the bracket, with the harsh weather, everyone is tired and cold, but only one team comes out on top.
One of my best soccer experiences was last year when our goalie broke his arm, so I was devoted to playing goalie for a whole tournament, which was 6 games in 2 days. We ended up winning the entirety of the tournament while I was in goal. I let in 0 goals, and the last match got delayed due to thunder and was decided on a coin flip, and we won it. We came out on top and ended up winning.
Around 5 years ago, I was a goalie and always wanted to be one because my older cousin was a goalie. She inspired me to be one as well, but as you get older, the fields and goals get bigger, and as I got older, I didn’t grow that much.
Later that season, my coach told my mom that for my size, I wouldn’t be a good fit for a goalie. My mom told me later, and it broke my heart: it was one of the hardest things to deal with during my soccer career. After not being able to play goalie, I switched to winger, which is like a forward, and it was a hard switch. But during the rest of that season, I didn’t get much playing time because I wasn’t that good at my new position, but every day I was putting in the work.
Next season, I came back ready and was prepared for what was coming, and was excited to see where I would go with my new position. Because of the summer, I was putting in the work. In the first game of the season, I scored my first goal playing in my new position. I knew I was feeling good about this new change.
After the season ended, I was the top goal scorer for the whole team, and the coach was impressed with me. I broke my wrist during one of my soccer practices and was out for a couple of games, but was still able to play through the season but with some setbacks. I had a cast, and to play soccer, I had to wrap it like a massive bandage so when I was playing with others, it wouldn’t hurt them. With this cast on and including the bandage, it was setting me back from my full potential.
When I got my cast off, I had to do little physical therapy, meaning I had to miss some practices and ended up wearing a brace. Throughout my struggles, I adapted to a new position and worked every day to get better.
One lesson I learned from all my struggles is to never give up. There have been many other rough patches, including the ones I mentioned, but there’s still always a chance. To this day, I still play soccer, and all of these memories bring me joy today because they involve the sport that I love. I’m always gonna love soccer, and no matter what happens, I’m always gonna find a way to get back to the sport that I love.
