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Soccer has been a key aspect of my life that heavily impacted who I have become as a person through teaching me lifelong lessons and meeting amazing new people. Thank you soccer.

Humble Beginnings

Rec League Soccer with Minneapolis United

My soccer career began with Minneapolis United's recreational league. Before MU, my soccer experience consisted of pickup games with friends and camps designed for young children, so this was my first taste of organized soccer. Through my MU rec experience my love for the game grew. It was a stress-free and non-competitive environment in which I could kick around with my friends.

The Come Up

The Start of Club Soccer

After a few years of MU rec, I decided it was time for something new. I wanted a more competitive environment in order to develop my skills as a player. Thus, I began my club soccer career at Keliix Intra FC along with a few other friends. No longer were the days of formation-less play and constant encouragement from coaches. Tactics were now involved and my dedication to my play had to be increased. My coach at Keliix embodied this new competitive environment. He was a loud man, always yelling at someone or telling the team what we were doing wrong. I was a sensitive kid at the time, and this kind of stuff got to my head, affecting my play severely. Thinking back on it now, however, it was because he cared for us and wanted to see us become better players.

After playing for Keliix for a few years, I moved back to play for Minneapolis United in 2016, this time for the club team. MU was a bigger club and therefor had multiple teams based on skill level. In my first year I made the second team, of five total, which was defineltely a hit to my confidence. I enjoyed it, however, as it was a step back in competitiveness and allowed me to grow more as a player as I remembered back to my rec days when I was truly having fun. This positive energy was retained when I eventually made the top team, which had some of my favorite seasons as I was having fun and playing hard. Although on the top team I did not know that many people, I still had a great time meeting new friends. Being on the top team meant more opportunities for regional and nation-wide tournaments and I found myself growing rapidly as a player because of it.

A New Environment

High School Soccer (pt. 1)

Still at MU, I began my high school career in fall of 2019 as a freshmen. I was especially excited for high school soccer as it was a place where I could play with friends that I hadn't played with in club in the previous years. There are four teams at Southwest: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior Varsity, and Varsity. In my freshmen year I made the freshman team. I did not have many expectations for myself that year as a freshman, and was certainly satisfied with this outcome. Many of my friends were on this freshman team with me, and although less competitive and "prestigious" than the top team at MU, I still had a lot of fun as our team finished the season with only one loss in our first game of the season due to our goalkeeper being injured and only having 2 available substitutions.

Rising Tensions

High School Soccer (pt. 2)

After a good winter, spring, and summer with MU, I was ready for another season of high school soccer. I had prepared my whole year for this, and I was determined to make the JV team. My tryouts went amazing. I felt I had done all I could and showed how I had grown over the past year. After receving the word that I made sophomore team, however, I was devastated, and it made me question my abilites and progress thus far as a soccer player. I wasn't going to take this to heart, however, and I looked on the bright side. Much of my team was still the same from the year previous and we had the same coach. We were slated for a successful year. And it was a successful year indeed, we finished even better with an undefeated season.

Learning From Failure

High School Soccer (pt. 3)

After 5 great years with MU, I decided to make the move back to Keliix. The MU team had been on the decline as people moved away or quit soccer, and I took this as an opportunity to go where most of my friends had been playing. Back with my original coach I no longer took to heart the yelling and criticism he displayed. I had grown as a person and learned that ultimately he was just trying to push me to become better. That year with Keliix I thoroughly enjoyed myself and soaked in all the information my coach gave me. When I listened to him closer, I realized he was actually very smart regarding tactical play and this time period was one in which I grew greatly in my intelligence on the ball.

A successful Keliix season came to a close, and again came high school. I was even more determined to play on the highest team possible and this year I was aiming for the varsity spot. I knew this year they would be looking at more juniors and I wanted to give it my all. Once again I was disappointed, however, as I was placed on JV team. To rub salt in the wounds, I was named captain, which at the time seemed like a joke to me. I saw as some of my teammates which I had spent my freshman and sophomore seasons with move onto varsity without me and it hurt. After seeing my unenthusiastic start of the season, my coach took me aside and spoke to me about the importance of being a leader on the team and just having fun with the game and enjoying myself. I had only recently met this coach what he said brought made me realize how I had been creating stress where there didn't need to be any, and I found a new gear where I was genuinely enjoying myself on the pitch. My coach I had that year had probably the most impact on me as a person in a season where we again went undefeated, this time with not even a tie.

The Finale

High School Soccer (pt. 4)

After a similar Keliix season to 2020, it was finally time for my last year of high school soccer. I had become a strong player both mentally and tactically and it came to no surprise to me making the Varsity team that year. I had put in the work, and it paid off.

Thus began my favorite soccer season of all time. Varisity was a unique experience in which I was not only playing for myself and my teammates, but also my school as well. I cannot even describe the feeling of being able to play in front of a large crowd for the first time. I thought I was going to be nervous, but instead I found myself playing with more energy than I ever had before. My favorite game had to be our home game against rivals Washburn in which I scored the closing goal to make it 3-1. Running to the student section after scoring is surely a feeling I will never forget.

I was putting my all out there every game, and although we didn't have the undefeated season from the year before, we were in great form heading into the sections tournament. After beating St. Louis Park in the first round, we were pitted up against Wyzata, the #1 seed favorite to win state that year. I remember being so nervous before the game, thinking about how it could be my last soccer game ever. I harnessed that anxiety, however, and transferred it into energy for the game. Ultimately, we were tied 1-1 heading into the final minutes of overtime. We had the momentum and if we could just hold out we were confident we could beat them in penalties. Tragedy struck, however, as we were scored on in a a goal that could only have been seen as avoidable. Crying and broken on the bus ride home, I looked back on my soccer career in my head. I decided to not continue to play Keliix the rest of the year in order to pursue other hobbies and take a break from soccer. Thinking back made me think of all the great memories I had from playing soccer, and how even though it did not end exactly how I had intended, I was still grateful for the journey.

Humble Beginnings

Rec League Soccer with Minneapolis United

My soccer career began with Minneapolis United's recreational league. Before MU, my soccer experience consisted of pickup games with friends and camps designed for young children, so this was my first taste of organized soccer. Through my MU rec experience my love for the game grew. It was a stress-free and non-competitive environment in which I could kick around with my friends.

The Come Up

The Start of Club Soccer

After a few years of MU rec, I decided it was time for something new. I wanted a more competitive environment in order to develop my skills as a player. Thus, I began my club soccer career at Keliix Intra FC along with a few other friends. No longer were the days of formation-less play and constant encouragement from coaches. Tactics were now involved and my dedication to my play had to be increased. My coach at Keliix embodied this new competitive environment. He was a loud man, always yelling at someone or telling the team what we were doing wrong. I was a sensitive kid at the time, and this kind of stuff got to my head, affecting my play severely. Thinking back on it now, however, it was because he cared for us and wanted to see us become better players.

After playing for Keliix for a few years, I moved back to play for Minneapolis United in 2016, this time for the club team. MU was a bigger club and therefor had multiple teams based on skill level. In my first year I made the second team, of five total, which was defineltely a hit to my confidence. I enjoyed it, however, as it was a step back in competitiveness and allowed me to grow more as a player as I remembered back to my rec days when I was truly having fun. This positive energy was retained when I eventually made the top team, which had some of my favorite seasons as I was having fun and playing hard. Although on the top team I did not know that many people, I still had a great time meeting new friends. Being on the top team meant more opportunities for regional and nation-wide tournaments and I found myself growing rapidly as a player because of it.

A New Environment

High School Soccer (pt. 1)

Still at MU, I began my high school career in fall of 2019 as a freshmen. I was especially excited for high school soccer as it was a place where I could play with friends that I hadn't played with in club in the previous years. There are four teams at Southwest: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior Varsity, and Varsity. In my freshmen year I made the freshman team. I did not have many expectations for myself that year as a freshman, and was certainly satisfied with this outcome. Many of my friends were on this freshman team with me, and although less competitive and "prestigious" than the top team at MU, I still had a lot of fun as our team finished the season with only one loss in our first game of the season due to our goalkeeper being injured and only having 2 available substitutions.

Rising Tensions

High School Soccer (pt. 2)

After a good winter, spring, and summer with MU, I was ready for another season of high school soccer. I had prepared my whole year for this, and I was determined to make the JV team. My tryouts went amazing. I felt I had done all I could and showed how I had grown over the past year. After receving the word that I made sophomore team, however, I was devastated, and it made me question my abilites and progress thus far as a soccer player. I wasn't going to take this to heart, however, and I looked on the bright side. Much of my team was still the same from the year previous and we had the same coach. We were slated for a successful year. And it was a successful year indeed, we finished even better with an undefeated season.

Learning From Failure

High School Soccer (pt. 3)

After 5 great years with MU, I decided to make the move back to Keliix. The MU team had been on the decline as people moved away or quit soccer, and I took this as an opportunity to go where most of my friends had been playing. Back with my original coach I no longer took to heart the yelling and criticism he displayed. I had grown as a person and learned that ultimately he was just trying to push me to become better. That year with Keliix I thoroughly enjoyed myself and soaked in all the information my coach gave me. When I listened to him closer, I realized he was actually very smart regarding tactical play and this time period was one in which I grew greatly in my intelligence on the ball.

A successful Keliix season came to a close, and again came high school. I was even more determined to play on the highest team possible and this year I was aiming for the varsity spot. I knew this year they would be looking at more juniors and I wanted to give it my all. Once again I was disappointed, however, as I was placed on JV team. To rub salt in the wounds, I was named captain, which at the time seemed like a joke to me. I saw as some of my teammates which I had spent my freshman and sophomore seasons with move onto varsity without me and it hurt. After seeing my unenthusiastic start of the season, my coach took me aside and spoke to me about the importance of being a leader on the team and just having fun with the game and enjoying myself. I had only recently met this coach what he said brought made me realize how I had been creating stress where there didn't need to be any, and I found a new gear where I was genuinely enjoying myself on the pitch. My coach I had that year had probably the most impact on me as a person in a season where we again went undefeated, this time with not even a tie.

The Finale

High School Soccer (pt. 4)

After a similar Keliix season to 2020, it was finally time for my last year of high school soccer. I had become a strong player both mentally and tactically and it came to no surprise to me making the Varsity team that year. I had put in the work, and it paid off.

Thus began my favorite soccer season of all time. Varisity was a unique experience in which I was not only playing for myself and my teammates, but also my school as well. I cannot even describe the feeling of being able to play in front of a large crowd for the first time. I thought I was going to be nervous, but instead I found myself playing with more energy than I ever had before. My favorite game had to be our home game against rivals Washburn in which I scored the closing goal to make it 3-1. Running to the student section after scoring is surely a feeling I will never forget.

I was putting my all out there every game, and although we didn't have the undefeated season from the year before, we were in great form heading into the sections tournament. After beating St. Louis Park in the first round, we were pitted up against Wyzata, the #1 seed favorite to win state that year. I remember being so nervous before the game, thinking about how it could be my last soccer game ever. I harnessed that anxiety, however, and transferred it into energy for the game. Ultimately, we were tied 1-1 heading into the final minutes of overtime. We had the momentum and if we could just hold out we were confident we could beat them in penalties. Tragedy struck, however, as we were scored on in a a goal that could only have been seen as avoidable. Crying and broken on the bus ride home, I looked back on my soccer career in my head. I decided to not continue to play Keliix the rest of the year in order to pursue other hobbies and take a break from soccer. Thinking back made me think of all the great memories I had from playing soccer, and how even though it did not end exactly how I had intended, I was still grateful for the journey.

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Soccer has been a key aspect of my life that heavily impacted who I have become as a person through teaching me lifelong lessons and meeting amazing new people. Thank you soccer. Little me posing in his MU rec uniform Humble Beginnings Rec League Soccer with Minneapolis United My soccer career began with Minneapolis United's recreational league.