Values of the Game Accelerated Learning Resources

Values of the Game

Standing on the field as the final whistle blew, I couldn’t help feeling a sense of failure. Losing can be harsh and unfair, particularly in the NCAA tournament where one loss means a crushing end to your season. As a captain you feel responsible and I couldn’t help replaying moments of the season in my mind, wondering what I could have done differently. So it has taken me a while to reflect on the season, the game of soccer, and all it has given me over the years.

I began playing in schoolyards with nothing more than a ball. Over the years I have won championships and scored the winning goal, I have been cut from teams, told I was too short, and sat on the bench. The game is your best friend, and your worst enemy, but that is the beauty. You learn to overcome the fear of failure and each hard tackle makes you stronger, dares you to dig deeper to find your second wind.

It takes courage to put your entire heart into something greater than you; this season we did that and much more. All 27 of us dedicated countless hours to conditioning and training, fighting through pulled muscles, striving to reach a common goal. And so despite the wins and losses, the struggle in the journey, the values learned, is where true success is found. We demanded excellence; daily discipline and determination became a necessity. My teammates fought through pain and mental fatigue. They became leaders, helping each other excel for the greater benefit of the team. We won meant more than I scored, and bus rides of singing and endless pregame dancing embodied that camaraderie. We had engaged in a quest to be our best and we were committed to achieve that despite midterm exams, 7 a.m. practices and insufficient sleep.

But the game is unpredictable, as is life. Perspective helps you to understand the thin line between victory and defeat. I will always remember the support and guidance of my coach, the friendship of my teammates and I am grateful for the opportunity I was given to play the game I love for so long.

Success and failure are necessary parts of the journey of life. People will tell you you’re not smart enough or not talented enough, but in soccer and life, it’s about proving them wrong and believing in yourself. And so we can not measure our own career successes by the definition of others—the statistics, the wins and losses. It is about so much more than that.

Accelerated Learning Resources