I've tried every sport in the book (that was available for me to try). I've tried basketball, tennis, swimming, cheerleading, football, softball, and I have even taken a few starter dance classes, which did not go well. While I enjoyed everything I did and loved having the opportunity for it all, no sport will ever compare to my one love: soccer.
I lived and breathed the sport for years and years. I played indoor soccer in the winter, did weight training in the spring, conditioned in the summer, played the regular season in the fall, and did it all over again the next year. I constantly strived to be better than the player that I was the year, week, or even day before.
I read about the girl who's coach killed her passion and the girl who's coach ruined the game for her. The articles were hard to get through. These two girls have written about the coaches that took the sport that they loved for over ten years each and just completely destroyed everything about it. Any athlete can tell you that their identity is formed by the sport that they play. When you are a high school or college athlete, your sport is a part of who you are. So to lose a part of you would have to be absolutely crushing.
I am no longer an active soccer player. I graduated high school and am not continuing my collegiate soccer career. That being said, I am still and always will be a soccer player. It has been a part of my identity since I was 5 or 6, and I don't believe that just because I'm not actively playing in games every week that I am no longer a soccer player. Without the sport, I wouldn't currently have the friends that I do or the opportunities that I've been given.
Circling back to the coaches that ruined those athletes love for their sports; I would just like to tell them that I am sorry. I am sorry that you had coaches that made you hate doing something that used to be your escape. I couldn't imagine giving up my sport, so I'm sorry that you did.
I didn't have to give up my passion because I never had coaches that made the sport unbearable. In fact, I've alwaysmostly(we have all had one bad coach) had coaches that were nothing but the best. They saw more in me than I saw in myself and wouldn't stop until I reached my greatest potential. They didn't allow "I can't" talk. They yelled, of course, but it was always to make us better. Never did I feel dumb because I couldn't do something or fat/lazy because I wasn't as fast as other girls. They were our coaches and teachers and mentors and I am truly thankful for the hard work and dedication that they put in to make us the accomplished players that we became.
I have been blessed to play over 12 years of soccer and never fall out of love with it. So, thank you, coaches. Thank you for keeping me committed to the sport that we both love and for never making me second guess playing. I only hope that if I ever coach girl's soccer, I can keep them as dedicated to the sport as I was.
