For those who keep up with my posts, and even for those that don’t, last year I wrote a post to the college seniors who completed their final season as an athlete and how the transition can be really tough.
I never thought of writing to the incoming freshman until now. Partly because I forgot all the emotions that factored into such a foreign year (because my freshman year was pretty brutal) and partly because I am now not bitter about my soccer career ending.. haha. So I feel compelled to write to the incoming freshman because the transition can be a little tough. (Just like when your career is over) And I want to tell you that although you may be apprehensive of the future, you were meant for this.
There’s so much change happening at once in one season. The first and obvious change would be living in a place other than home. For me, my home was the ONLY home I had ever lived in, in the ONLY town I had ever known. I know I know.. you’re thinking “gah i can’t wait to be out of my parents house!” But trust me.. it’s still hard.
So not only are you living in a new place, in a new (or not New) town/state with a teammate you met in passing on an official visit (basically a stranger), but you are about to endure some of the hardest months of your life.. So many emotions are going to strike you at once.
BUT what I can say, is that no matter how apprehensive and nervous you are about “if this is really right for you” or “if you really are good enough to play here” or “if this was even a good idea at all”, remember that at one point in your life you were just a little girl (or boy) who loved to play soccer (or insert sport here). Lived, breathed, ate, LOVED soccer. And that little girl admired- no - idolized who you are right this very second. A college soccer player. That love for the game is what got you to this point. You dreamed of this opportunity for years. I remember fan-girling over the TCU soccer players so hard when I was younger. I thought they were just down right cool. And now that is you. Don’t forget that. You are literally living a dream not every player can live so be the person you once looked up to.
The next change and quite possibly the hardest (physically + mentally and maybe even spiritually. Lord have mercy) is pre season... let me start off my saying point #1... girlfriend if you didn’t do your summer workout program your coaches gave you, that love for the game won’t pass your fitness tests for you... sorry. So do your damn summer workouts.
Pre Season is about 2 weeks long (give or take a few days. Each program is different). It is in August, the hottest time of year here in Texas. (If you’re going out of state it’s still gonna suck sorry)
It is 2-a-days of pure running & fitness tests, grit, sweat, blisters, ice baths, protein shakes, throw up (if you’re weak), tears, pain, pride, and.... GROWTH. If you can make it out of pre season without quitting then you, my friend, are in the right place.
My last point is an experience i had actually my sophomore year but it’s a nice look into what you could possibly expect coming into your first year.... *start mentally preparing*
My sophomore year was my first year playing at UNT as I transferred from a smaller d1 program. So i was basically a freshman in the sense of getting to know the team, coaches, New school etc. And our first travel weekend was to New Mexico. I had just earned a starting spot over a senior so I was super excited and super nervous. (Which could be something you experience your freshman year) We were playing pretty terrible during the first half of the first game in The New Mexico tournament against I believe it was Cal State Fullerton.. I mean we were all playing pretty bad. So at halftime I was prepared to hear some choice words from John. But not directly to me..
For those that don’t know, halftime is 10 min long. And I’m telling you it felt like 10 hours. For the entire 10 minutes John told me how bad I sucked, how I didn’t belong at a big d1 school or at a d1 school at all, I wasn’t d1 material, how he couldn’t believe he took a chance on me, so on and so forth... Holy sh** right? As if i didn’t feel like a foreigner enough as it was as a newby.. I tried not to cry. And I made it to the “now y’all get back out there and warm up” part and just lost my mind. I cried my eyes out like a baby. Partially out of embarrassment and partially because maybe he was right? Maybe I didn’t belong at a big program? I think John actually enjoyed seeing me cry?
Let me pause for a second. I’m not telling this story to scare you away from college soccer... It has a happy ending I promise! It should be inspirational!
So long story short I was benched the rest of the year. A few min in each game here and there at different positions. I really felt like I just didn’t belong. And to be honest, I contemplated quitting. My mom gave me the greatest advice that still clearly resonates in my life: “you can either quit or prove him wrong” it’s as simple as that. Hard situations like the one I experience in New Mexico are there to test you. To see if you are strong enough to seize an opportunity to rise out of the ashes.
I had to make the choice for myself. Either quit or prove him so wrong that he will beg me to be on his starting line up. CHALLENGE FREAKING ACCEPTED (some foreshadowing This was johns plan all along)
So that’s exactly what I did. At the end of the season everyone went home for Christmas break (which is about a month) and I trained every single day. Most days twice a day... I ran. I did skills in my parents backyard for hours like I was 10 again. I trained at the gym. I did everything I could to come back and just f*** sh** up. Don’t get in the way of a girl with a revenge let me tell you.
So I came back and whooped everyone in sprints, I buzzed around the soccer field like never before, and I gave my all every single second of every practice and game. This led me to being a starter for the rest of my career as well as being a captain and a part of 2 conference championships (and an assist to the championship game winning goal) and to play in the first round of the NCAA national tournament.
Moral of the story: What do this have to do with you?
You will run into many situations that test you. And you will always have a choice in how to respond to those tests. A make or break kinda point even. Will it make you? Or will it break you? The true test of who you are is during adversity not when everything is going right.
You may have days where you feel lost. Where you don’t feel like you fit into the team or system or that the coach doesn’t like you. And you may even get told directly by the coach that you are terrible. (I hope not) But you always have a choice. You can quit and be like “them” or you can stay and be a hustler. You’re already gonna have to prove yourself, you may as well make a lasting impression so they have NO CHOICE but to play you.
It’s gonna be hard. It’s gonna be gritty. You’re gonna cry. You’re gonna hurt. You’re gonna want to quit. But don’t. Trust me, the climb isn’t forever. And the harder you work, the quicker you get to the top. And man is it rewarding.
If anything, Do it for your 7 year old self who would admire the hell outta you for grinding it out. You got this. You belong here. I believe in you.
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