My Peru Adventures: Soccer

All of this good weather is making me really miss soccer :(. Club soccer, that is. Playing High School Soccer for me was a joke. I act like it was a blast and I had so much fun, but it was a pretty dark part of my High School career. I was constantly measuring myself against the other girls and when I sat bench a lot I lost all confidence in myself. I'd go home and want to cry every time. Sometimes I did. Playing time and wanting the coaches to like me was the most important thing on my mind all the time, especially in that first part of Senior year. Time went on and I felt defeated. When I'd get in those last few minutes I'd play frantically because I knew if I didn't do something amazing, I'd be starting bench again. And for any of you who know soccer, you know that amazing plays don't come in those 2 sporadic minutes. You have to build up to it, work in with the players out there and find that perfect opportunity. I felt I was never given that chance really. So HS soccer... not the best for me. Hated it. haha I hated the favoritism of it, I hated the attitude and I hated how I was treated unfairly. At the end of the season I was happy to say goodbye to it all and I'll never ever forget what Paige Hunt said to me when we were all hugging after our final game. She straight up told me from the deepest part of her heart, "Em you're a really amazing soccer player, like you're really good". That's when I lost it! The tears were not present until that very moment! That totally changed my life when it came to soccer. I realized that I LOVE playing soccer, just not the politics involved.

A couple weeks went by and it was time for Club season. Going into it, I still had the worthless and defeated mindset, but once I got going... I had a blast! Eric Landon and Ashley (maiden name Wood...last name escapes me) were the best thing ever for me! They encouraged me constantly, I started every game, and we focused on a love for the game and that little thing made the difference. I was scoring a goal a game at least and I was creating some of the best memories of my life! My friends on that team are some of my best friends ever and we had so much fun together! Not only did I have fun playing but I also felt like I was an integral part of the team and not just that Senior that doesn't play much. And once my soccer life is going good, the rest of my life just kinda went along with it.

Here's the dream team. Plus or minus a few people...:)

Me and Aleesha! Definitely played soccer with her for a long time..

It's strange how soccer meant so much to me then that it would determine whether it was a good day or a bad day, but now I don't even play! Sure we have intramurals, but I really would give anything to go back and actually work hard at soccer. If I had done so and really realized how much I love it, I think I would have tried to play here at BYU and that would have been amazing! Granted, intramurals were a blast and making it to the semi's in the girls league as freshmen ain't to bad either! Um...we definitely took a picture after every single game. Here's a sampling. Lots have W. For Win. Cuz we're just amazing like that. We were undefeated until the semi's! Then we did an L... for Love?