How soccer shaped me
Soccer has been a part of my life for more than 15 years, ever since I was nine. At that age, most parents just want their kids to stay active or make new friends, and I’m incredibly grateful that my parents chose soccer for me. Looking back, that simple decision shaped not only my childhood but also the person I’ve become.
From elementary school onward, I joined every varsity soccer team except during middle school. At that time, my parents hoped I could balance academics and athletics, so they enrolled me in a special program that focused on both. Unfortunately, that program didn’t include soccer.
Ironically, I had been swimming even longer than I had been playing soccer. But unlike soccer, I never loved it. Swimming felt exhausting and isolating. The pool was cold, and the environment lacked connection. The people I trained with felt more like competitors than teammates. We rarely exchanged tips or encouragement. During practice, our coach often sat by the pool, scrolling through his phone while we swam lap after lap with little guidance.
I remember once, desperate for a break, I pretended to go to the bathroom just to escape the routine. Another time, I tried hiding underwater near the coach to skip a lap, but obviously, it didn’t work. I came up gasping, with tears mixing into the water inside my goggles, and silently finished the lap.
Soccer, on the other hand, brought much more connection, energy, and joy. I still remember how, in elementary school, we would squeeze in training during the longest class breaks. In university, we called each other to plan solo practices, pushing ourselves together to earn a spot in Division One. That shared commitment created a bond that extended far beyond the field.
But the journey was never easy. There were endless repetitions of fundamental drills and physically demanding workouts that pushed us to our limits just like any other sport. It was during those tough sessions that I realized studying actually felt much easier compared to the grit and effort we poured into soccer. And nothing hurt more than giving our all, only to fall short. One memory that still stays with me is the heartbreak of conceding a last-minute equalizer and losing in extra time during a championship game that could have promoted us to Division One.
I never won any major title. But over time, I came to understand that the journey gave me something far more meaningful. The bonds we built through shared struggle have lasted for years. Many of my closest friends today are still the teammates I met back in elementary school. Though we don’t see each other often, whenever we meet, it feels like nothing has changed. The same jokes, the same stories, and the same laughter always bring us back to those good old days.
Looking back, both soccer and swimming taught me lessons I’ll carry for life. Swimming taught me how to compete with myself and strive to improve over time. Soccer taught me the power of teamwork, discipline, and trust. Together, they taught me resilience, focus, and the importance of trusting the process and staying consistent even when things get tough. And most importantly, they taught me to never stop striving to be better.
I may not have collected trophies, but the life lessons I gained along the way are worth far more.