Being an athlete all my life, it is easily arguable that it has shaped me into a person that I could have never imagined without the succession of different practices filling my free time. Soccer, one of the most consistent aspects of my life, has continuously grounded and illuminated parts of my life starting when I was four years old to now as a senior in high school. While feeling most comfortable stepping onto a soccer field and making my voice heard over the cheering fans, I carry a presence with me. A presence that holds my leadership abilities and self-confidence, both of which stemmed from the role I naturally adopted as I grew into my soccer cleats.

 Keeping these qualities tucked in my pocket off the field, I do not shy away from the harsh realities of the real world that seem to be fantastical while playing. Enduring all the bitter truths that come with being a high schooler, especially in a time of uncertainty with pandemics and possible wars, confidence in all situations is key to social survival. While stepping up in front of my peers to voice my opinion on controversial topics such as abortion laws and minority rights has proven to be quite the undertaking, it has only helped shape me into the person I am off the soccer field. 

While I have always had an innate capacity to effectively take charge and direct traffic in any given situation, my leadership growth can be specifically pinpointed to when I started playing competitive soccer. Finding myself in novel situations, I instinctively shed a bit more of my timid shell with every practice and tournament, allowing me to leave it at home as I face the world. 

A song that has resonated with me from the first moment I heard it is “Rise Up” by Andra Day. This inspirational song highlights the idea of growing into oneself so that they are able to keep fighting, even when life is painfully tiring and hard. For me, this song is synonymous with my soccer career and the challenges that are always circling the sport I have dedicated a majority of my life to.

“When the silence isn’t quiet/ And it feels like it’s getting hard to breathe/ And I know you feel like dying/ But I promise we’ll take the world to its feet/ And move mountains/ Bring it to its feet/ And move mountains// And I’ll rise up/ I’ll rise like the day,” sang Day. 

Learning to jump without looking down at the plummeting situations beneath me was a skill that I acquired concurrently as my cleats formed to my feet. Never forgetting but learning from my younger self who was shy of her preschool teachers, I have unlocked a portion of my persona unimaginable to my 3-year-old self. Not only elevating my understanding of myself, but soccer also will never cease to indoctrinate me with principles and morals that are vital in experiencing the world around me.