Hello again! This will be my 4th and final blog. This last blog will be about scoring goals and making friendships, which are bigger than soccer.
No one truly knows how hard athletes have to work. Most of the time, you only see the smiles of the players when a goal is scored or the happiness when a game is won. People do not get to see the hours of hard work that is put into those happy moments. There are countless blood, sweat, and tears that go into each sport. I have always loved this quote: "Don't expect to play well in packed gyms if you aren't willing to put the work in when the same gym is completely empty." This just goes to show that not everyone knows the amount of work and dedication that is put into each sport. What you may see on the field may not be the same as what that person has gone through.
A lot of people may think that celebrating a goal is considered arrogant or cocky. To me, there is no such thing. Goals are special and they are meant to be celebrated. This is the mindset I play with each time I take the field. You get the best feeling when you strike the back of the net, especially in a big game against your rivals. Knowing all the hard work that has been put in, I think you deserve to celebrate a little. Celebrating is a unique part about the game. The amount of adrenaline you receive is incredible. When you get to represent your school, you get a different feeling when you perform well. Another great feeling is when you look over to the sidelines and you see your classmates cheering you on.
Moving on, the friendships you make on the pitch are bigger than the game itself. You know those times where you get to see someone helping someone else and showing their kindness towards them. Most of the time you only get to see this in movies! I actually got to experience this in my life. It happened last year. We had this foreign exchange student that loved the game of soccer. He only spoke French though. Luckily, one of my coaches was the French teacher at Dunlap. He could communicate with this young man. This player was not ready to play organized soccer, but he enjoyed practicing with the squad each day. When he came to practice he was wearing tennis shoes, which made him slip and slide easily on the grass.
Jack Schaberg, one of my teammates went to Dick's Sporting Goods the next day and purchased a pair of cleats for him. This was probably one of the greatest things I have ever witnessed, it even brought some tears to my eyes. It has taught me to be humble and that soccer has its own language! Soccer brings people together no matter the language or race! When Jack gave him the cleats, the smile that came across his face is one that I will never forget! Soccer is more than a game and this is why we play! This has taught me to always hold on to those memories and cherish them for as long as you can. You never know when your last time will be.
