Andrea Garcia

Mrs.Warwick
Course:Writing 1
I began playing soccer at the age of 10, then went onto clubs/all-star/ and travel star

teams.When highschool came around, I made it to varsity all 4 yrs with many accomplishments.

I went to training, field practices, and put in my own work but playing for so long made it feel

like a job. When entering highschool I did lose the passion but I didn’t stop playing. I began

thinking if there “should be a reason to play.” I just thought that since I played so long why stop

now. One time at school there were 3 girls with the same name as me, but to distinguish me from

the rest they would say “the one that plays soccer” while with the others it was by their last name

or “the smart one.” Oddly enough with having 6-7 years-round training at this time and yet I

wasn’t proud or unbothered. I never really made soccer an “identity” for myself, it was almost

“given” to me like a title I deserved. I did enjoy being on a field whether in the rain/hail/or sun it

is something that never felt odd to me. Though, it got me wondering if that's what everyone just

sees me as, to the point where my last name wasn’t included as my identity anymore. When I

made it into high school my freshman year, I thought the cycle was going to continue which was

“I was just going to play, I played for so long what’s one more year.” I didn’t know why I

continued to play.

Until 3 years, 7 months, and 27 days ago away from our home field into another school's

territory. A ball that at the end will lay on one side. It was the first time in our school history that

the girl’s varsity soccer team had made it so far. Just a few months ago I never really knew why I

continued playing besides believing it was an obligation given as years went on. I wasn’t nervous

the night before or the bus ride to the game, in fact I thought I was going to accept the outcome

as it was. Why was I getting nervous? Was it because the majority of our town made the hour

drive to watch us? Was it because for the first time the girl’s soccer program was recognized?
 Andrea Garcia
Mrs.Warwick
Course:Writing 1
Was I afraid to fail? Just a moment ago, I didn’t care about the outcome, why now? After

chanting our name, 11 of us went to our position but my hands were sweaty and my nerves were

winning against me each time I walked closer to my spot. I have played over 100 games, I should

be used to this now. I should be used to a field, a soccer field, the green colored grass with white

lines to mark the outer bounce; the white boxes that lay within each side of the field making it

the goalie territory and a huge circle in the middle where we face our opponents. Whether it was

a turf field, dry field, or wet field, I know the game. Each field has a unique characteristic, in this

instance it was a winter cold night, the field was wet. We could tell they took good care of it for

tonight, as my heart thumped I analyzed the field, it was big in width but the length distance

wasn’t super big meaning I would have to try and play the ball outwards to gain more space for

wingers to cross the ball on their side in time for our strikers to make their move. It's all about

pace, adjusting to the field, knowing where the holes are, knowing where the ball feels better,

and knowing the field. I’ve known about fields and adjusting the majority of the time but it felt

so foreign to me tonight. Everything was so foreign, the ball, the field, the crowd, even my

teammates who I trained months/years with. I snapped out of it as the first whistle blew but it

was weird. Usually we go straight into it but instead the opposing team stood there like us for a

few seconds, afraid to start because it'll mean there will be an end. After all this is “the game ''

there is no “next time” not until another year and yet a game like this was not guaranteed. After

that split second my legs started moving along with the others. All I seem to remember was the

field, it looked small from the outside but playing inside made me feel like I was playing in an

infinite amount of green grass. It was a blur due to the adrenaline rushing through me, then the

last whistle was blown. Time stopped, no audience cheered as everyone was grasping the

outcome. I remember seeing #10 ( teammate) fell down to her knees as she was the only
 Andrea Garcia
Mrs.Warwick
Course:Writing 1
teammate within my eyesight. We made it so far yet the ball was on our side. It was over for us. I

never adjusted to the field, almost like every time I thought I understood the layout, it changed. I

never forgot this field, I hoped to have always remembered it taking the title of valley champs

but instead I left with a loss and as a player who felt as if I never played this before.

The ball should have ended on their side in the net one more time. We had lost 2 to 1. I

remember people from the audience walking away silently and others comforting us. We never

left the field, our supporters came to us to comfort but with watery eyes I just stared down at the

grass. Many people talk about how they win and the positive side of things. I understood who I

was by the loss. I had assumed I lost passion, was heading no direction with playing but to just

play. Though like in life, the negative events that occur don’t occur to “just happen” but to see

how we come out of it. After this experience, I trained harder to make sure it wouldn’t happen

again. There were times when I would fall into the habit of being burned out but just reminiscing

about the field made me work harder. I would train after school, practice, play for more teams,

and do anything to get more knowledge. Each field was different but I was still so fixated on the

one that had my tears. So then, For the next 3 years we would play against the same school on

the same field but this time it was a semi-final so we would still have to play one more time if we

were going to win to make it to finals. Unlike the beginning, I was not going to let frustration or

the field get to me, I was not going to lay my tears on this field like the first time. I was

determined to win, win on what I lost, and then win what we should have gotten. Just like before,

the ball did indeed land on one side of the field but not ours, theirs. As determined that I was to

not lay any tears, I did but this time it was happiness like the weight I carried for 3 years

vanished. I was proud of how far I came and for the first time in a long time I felt like I didn’t
 Andrea Garcia
Mrs.Warwick
Course:Writing 1
just choose to play but the ball found me and I was meant for it. Finally, my junior year we

finally won the ring we lost. As well, I had the opportunity to head to state for the first time. I

wanted to showcase that in life blessing truly does come in disguise. Sometimes the change

happens at the moment or sometimes it takes time but pushing yourself out of a harsh situation

can lead to something if you allow yourself to feel pain. Without failing there would be no

success, or an outcome that makes you stronger.