A Tribute

Well.

I’m a little overwhelmed with emotion in writing this post—

and I can’t quite come to terms with the fact that playing soccer on the competitive level is over for me.

So I’m going to do my best to express myself through writing, but... bear with me.

Okay.

So.

Soccer has been a part of my life on the team level for at least 18 years. EIGHTEEN YEARS that this sport has been a part of my life.

EIGHTEEN Years.

And I don’t quite know how to say “thank you” to the sport, to my coaches, to my teammates, and to my family.

I’ve grown in ways I never anticipated or even knew that I needed.

This sport has been the catalyst for personal improvement, spiritual realization, character development, and so much more.

I’ve developed a love for pushing myself to my absolute limits.

I’ve been pushed to places that ultimately end in tears. Oh so many tears.

With different teams, we’ve taken wins, and suffered losses. But in the end, it wasn’t about the wins and losses for me. It was about growth; personally, as as team, and for my teammates. And often, it was taking the losses that ended up in teaching me the most.

I’ve made friends that I’ll have for a lifetime.

I’ve developed a deep-rooted passion for this sport.

And I just want to say thank you.

Thanks for the memories.

Thanks for the development of who I am.

Thanks to my coaches for believing in me. For putting up with me. For cultivating my potential. You have no idea what your trust, support, love, and un-ending hours of work, training, laughs, and time away from your families have meant to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Soccer,

Thank you for being a sport that’s physically demanding, emotionally exhausting, and mentally straining. Thank you for teaching me that I am capable at conquering hard things. Thank you for teaching me that being a good teammate doesn’t mean just helping secure a win. Thank you for stretching me, molding me, and refining me into the player and person that I am.

I love you.

I’m not ready for this season of my life to be over.

I’ll never forget the gratitude that I have for a coach that took a chance on a player he knew next to nothing about. I’ll be forever grateful for the chance I had to play soccer at SVU.

I just hope you all that still get to play at the competitive level never take it for granted.