Saying goodbye to a familiar sport due to college is an experience that is not talked about enough. It forces the release of an aspect of a person that they have known their whole lives, which comes with the challenge to express oneself in a brand new way. Personally, I have been playing soccer consecutively since the age of three. It has served as a source of comfort in my life in times of stress and worry, and has always been a consistent part of my life that I can rely on. I have played in different positions, on different teams, and in different places, yet my love and passion for the sport has stayed consistent through every change and hurdle. Saying goodbye to something so familiar and prominent in every year of my life has been unthinkable until recently, as I graduate from my club program at the end of May.
My journey with soccer started off at five years old in the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). I joined a team with a few girls, and my dad was my coach. I then continued to play until I was in fourth grade, developing my skill. While I changed teams and met all different girls my age through rotating teams, the one thing that stayed the same was my coach. My dad coached me from five years old to ten years old in AYSO, and we developed a special bond as he was always there for me cheering me on, pushing me to develop my skills through a growing love for the game.
In fourth grade, I tried out for the Burlingame Soccer Club (BSC), and made the team. My dad still found a way to be involved, being the team manager from my first ever team in 2016 to my most recent team this past spring. I explored different positions, coaches and teammates, and saw how my passion for soccer can be further executed and enjoyed from a new perspective. Overtime, I met some of my best friends through the league as I experienced more teams with different people, and grew in who I was as a person simultaneously. For example, I learned how to balance school and sports as I was expected to attend three practices a week and games on the weekends. I grew in my confidence as I learned how to use my skills for the benefit of the team, and challenged myself in new ways that were out of my comfort zone. Lastly, my latest adventure with a new soccer experience has been through high school soccer. I played on the junior varsity team my freshman year, and on the varsity team for my sophomore, junior, and senior year.
Throughout every shift and change, the most important takeaway is the bond I developed with my dad as the sport became something we were both equally invested in. No matter the team I was on or if it was for club or high school, he would always drive me to my games, and never missed the chance to talk, ask me about practice and congratulate me after a game.
As I move on to college, I say goodbye to soccer and the prominent place it has held in my life for 16 years. It has been my source of escape and release during the hardest parts of my life, and a point of stability through the change and hindrances I have experienced. Cleats and shinguards have become second nature to me, and thinking about leaving after my last game this month is an experience that is overlooked for many seniors.
Simply put, it is impossible to comprehend parting from such a vital part of one’s life that has morphed them into who they are. While intramural is an option for many, like me, in college, nothing will ever compare to the dedication of a singular sport through club and high school. Soccer has transformed me into the person I am today, and I am forever grateful for the solace and peace it has provided me. Like many, I have made some of my best memories with my club teammates who I have played with for numerous years, and have grown more through high school soccer than I could ever truly appreciate. I have made memories with my dad as he has stayed at the forefront of all my soccer experiences, and made sacrifices to help my love for the sport stay strong and motivating.
Sports provide so much fulfillment to children and teenagers as they morph into young adults ready for the real world, and when it comes time to leave behind this element of growth, it can only be described as heartbreak. Yet, through heartbreak memories are left behind, and I can personally say that even though soccer won’t be part of my week as prominently anymore, the happiness it has brought me, my dad and my senior teammates is an eternal gift we will forever cherish and look back to.
