My Soccer Journey: Through The Years
HOW IT STARTED
I first started playing soccer in elementary school in Connecticut on our co-ed team. When we moved to California the summer before Fifth Grade for Dad's new job, one of the first things Mom did was enroll us in the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). She knew we would miss our old school and our friends, and she figured soccer would allow us to feel like a part of our community and make new friends right away.
My twin sister Emmy and I acclimated quickly because of weekly soccer games with our different teams. My parents also enjoyed getting to know more about different parts of California by taking us to games and spending time with parents from our teams. That experience helped them make new friends, too.
That first year, my team, The Gorillas, won "King of the Hill." Because my sister's soccer team also won The Founder's Cup, that first season will always feel special. It felt good to contribute to a group effort where every kid on the team and every parent encouraged and cheered for everyone equally. That was an incredible introduction to living in California. I will never forget Coach Zach, all the time he spent volunteering, and the instant feeling of belonging and teamwork he created for me.
King of the Hill
CLUB SOCCER
I was recruited for club soccer in the summer of 2009, after one year of AYSO Core league and Select league. I joined the South Bay AYSO United club team. I started out playing Winger and Striker, as I had done in my first year of soccer in California. After a few years of playing as a Forward, my coach decided to put me at Left Back. The change from Forward to Left Back was where I started to really improve as a player and where my love for the sport grew to another level. We played multiple State Cups, reaching the Final for one of them, where we came in second, and I have travelled all over Southern California and Arizona with my team.
I am fortunate to have been selected to still play on this team. We now play EA2 after playing in the E64 league for 2 years. I have made numerous long-term friends on this team, with some friendships lasting for 6 years and counting. The Coach of this team, Coach Ryan Smith, is perhaps the coach to whom I owe the most appreciation. I am thankful for all the lessons, experiences, and friends his team has provided to me, and all the time and energy he dedicates to us. I have grown as an individual player and also as a team member because of him and the sports and life lessons he has taught me.
PVHS SOCCER
Right before the start of my Freshman year at PVHS, I fractured and dislocated my wrist. I hadn't healed enough to try out for the scheduled team tryouts at the same time as other kids. I had to wait for a few weeks and then try out during practices. I immediately noticed the difference in intensity. The pace was faster, and the players were just better than I was used to at the Club level. I had to get used to a different, higher level of play.
My favorite year of high school so far was my Junior year. It was my first year on the Varsity team, and it was the best team our school had had in years. We qualified for Division 1 playoffs, but we were eventually beaten in the third round. We finished 21st in state rankings.
Out of all the teams I've played with, this team has given me the strongest sense of family. I'll never forget the late-night bus rides back to PV after a late game-winning goal, or sharing a hotel room in Fresno with my teammates. I cannot wait to see what Senior year playing soccer will look like, but at the same time, I already dread having to play my last game.
I felt really honored when Coach Derek Larkins chose me as the Summer League Captain. This team has pushed me physically and mentally by having high expectations of me. My teammates and our hard work taught me more than just the rules of the game and how it feels to win or to lose. It also pushed me in terms of my work ethic and raised my level of discipline to meet and exceed the demands and expectations of m coach and my teammates who rely on me.
PVHS Summer Soccer League Goal
Track and Field
Last year, I joined the PVHS Track & Field team as a Junior, running the 100 Meters and the 200 Meters. It was my first time being involved in an individual sport.
Growing up playing sports with my peers, I was always one of the fastest kids. In soccer, my main attribute has been my speed. When soccer season ended for high school last year I felt that I still wanted to compete in something.
I had only been playing soccer for a few years and thought it would be fun to try something that wasn’t team-centered. I was interested in track as a sport where the final results are in my own hands alone, so I joined the Varsity team to broaden my experience while keeping fit.
I was warned by many of my friends on the team that the practices were hard and not fun in the slightest, but I was surprised to learn that I actually enjoyed them. The team was welcoming, and I didn’t feel as much pressure as I do playing soccer, because I wasn’t responsible for any results except my own.
I enjoyed the conditioning and the fact that running the 100 Meters and 200 Meters helped me stay in shape during the off-season for soccer. I had fun testing my own abilities and getting to know new people. I also made new friends among my fellow Track team members.
My races were so quick that my parents were able to catch many photos or videos, which I didn't mind at all, although Mom did.