If you play a sport, you can relate to this. As an athlete, there are certain things that you would only know if that sport was a part of your life. Being a soccer player myself, I feel that there are many things that only me and my teammates would understand (along with the thousands of other soccer players who have played the game for as long as they can remember).
Here are 40 things that soccer players would only understand due to their many years of playing.
1. The half time or end of the game orange slices and juice boxes that parents would bring for the team every game.
2. Having gross color uniforms when you were young.
3. When the referee would ask you to tap on your shinguards and show them the back of your cleat.
4. Feeling so cool when you went from rec to travel league.
5. Playing soccer in PE with a class of non-soccer players.
6. The parent tunnels after you won a game.
7. When you're not in the starting lineup.
8. Always wanting to be the non-pinnie team.
9. Terrible smelling shinguards/socks and bag.
10. The kids who wore rec specs.
11. The many turf beads all over your room and bag.12. The first practice back after being out for a while.
13. Traveling so far for away tournaments.
14. When you step on the net, and your cleats get stuck.
15. When your friend chooses someone else as their partner.
16. Pasta Party´s (AKA eating, stuffing our faces and more eating).
17. Always having to remember to bring a ball to practice.
18. When your whole wardrobe consists of soccer t-shirts.
19. Not being able to refrain from kicking the ball while playing other sports.
20. Taping your cleats when they break because you don't want to get new ones.
21. But the feeling when you get new ones.
22. Disappointment when you let someone "meg" you.
23. Screaming coaches (and screaming parents).
24. Refs that call nothing to refs that call everything.
25. When you can hear the other team talking about you.
26. Being able to hit every part around the net but not in it.
27. Ball marks after someone kicks the ball at you.
28. When the whole team shows up in their parkas.
29. Turf-burns to cleat marks to the many bruises you don't even know how you got.
30. Being the one player that has to carry the ball bag.
31. Tan-lines.
32. Having to carry all your soccer stuff to class because you have to go straight to practice or game.
33. Having that one player pulling on your shirt all game.
34. Having to go to the gym in the offseason.
35. The many ice baths during the preseason.
36. Having to cut summer short for preseason.
37. Fitness tests that stressed you out for days and even months.
38. When your whole support system comes to your game.
39. The difference between your soccer friends (family) and your regular friends.
40. And most importantly, the celebrations, feelings, and memories after scoring or winning a big game.
