Your journey as a soccer player has just begun and your parents along with coaches already have such high expectations for you.
You are being exposed to so many new things like meeting new people who will become your best friends down the line.
You get to cheer on your teammates and in return hear the satisfying sound of parents cheering you on as the ball hits the back of the net. You’ll get praised for being exhausted while covered in dirt and sweat from head to toe.
Of course, in the moment, the extremely hot games in the summer or freezing cold practices in the snow won’t seem to be worth it. But somehow, hearing your name get called to come receive your trophy for winning the championship game or being declared MVP makes you regret ever letting the thought of quitting enter your mind. As you continue through the years of hard work and dedication that comes with this amazing sport, here’s a few things to keep in mind:
Appreciate the coaches you hate:
You’ll have coaches that will yell at you, make you run laps after losing a game and continue to push you even when you say you can’t possibly run another lap.
Thank those coaches for they are the ones who will push you to be a better player. They are who you should thank when you’re being handed that championship trophy or varsity letter years down the road.
These are the coaches who dedicated their time and energy to make you into the best player you could possibly be. You may hate them now, but one day you’ll be thanking them.
Cherish every bruise and injury you obtain from the game:
After a long game, you’ll be sore and look down to see bruises and cuts covering your legs. You won’t even remember when you received them or be able to keep count of every time you fell down. If you do remember you were probably too busy laughing off the fall and the dirt on your butt to even feel the pain. Wear those bruises, cuts, and injuries proudly for they are your battle scars.
You received them doing something you love, fighting for that winning goal. You might be in pain but every bruise and cut is worth it. One day you will miss being sore and miss the bruises because they meant you were playing the game you loved.
Thank your family for being at every game cheering you on.
While you were complaining about freezing, you were able to do a few laps or jump around a bit to keep your body temperature up.
Your parents, and siblings, sat through every game in the freezing temperatures bundled up in a blanket or in the blazing heat sweating their butts off just to watch you play. It is such a nice feeling to look into the crowd and see your family chanting your name.
You’re lucky compared to the players who don’t have parents who come to every game.
You can’t win them all
Don’t be the team who refuses to shake hands with the winners. Don’t be a sore loser saying that the other team paid the ref off or that they must of cheated. Don’t leave a game crying or take out a loss on your teammates or coaches. Remember to always play for the love of the game, not for what the scoreboard says when the buzzer sounds.
Just because you didn’t score as many points as the other team doesn’t mean you lost. If you left everything you had out on the field and played with all of your heart then it’s a win no matter what the scoreboard may say.
Be thankful that you are able to play the sport of soccer.
Not everyone is able to play this sport, so be glad you have the chance to. Soccer will teach you so many great things. You will meet so many new people, some of which will become your best friends and extended family. You get a chance to learn patience and teamwork while doing something you love. It’s a chance to learn a new skill, a skill others don’t have. You’ll learn to stay calm under the pressure of taking a penalty kick and learn to make friends with strangers, even if it’s a player on the opposing team. As you grow older, you’re able to watch your speed get faster and the balls you kick go further and further. Although now you may just see this as just another sport, in a few years you will realize that it’s not just another sport it’s your sport. you will realize how much it actually means to you and when you play that final game and take your cleats off for the last time your heart will break a little. it will feel like a piece of you is gone, something you’ve known for so long is over. You’ll regret every practice you skipped, every time you thought of giving up, every coach you told to suck it, and every ref you told off, you’ll do anything to just play one more game. You will realize just how worth it all the years of saying “I can’t, I have soccer??? were.
As you continue to play the next few years, I hope you fall in love with this sport as much as I have. You’ll fall in love with everything from your very first goal all the way down to your horrible tan lines.
Every win, every loss, every tear, every drop of sweat will contribute to the amazing memories and friends you’ll walk away with. Give the game your all and I promise you won’t regret it.