Fútbol is Life Scholarship

Soccer has been a significant part of my high school journey, shaping my character and providing me with valuable life lessons. Throughout the three years I have played soccer, I have developed several important traits that have impacted my life both on and off the field. As a freshman, I played on the junior varsity (JV) team. It was a challenging year; our team didn’t win a single game, and frustration ran high. I seriously considered quitting, but after discussing the situation with my coaches, I learned a vital lesson about teamwork and perseverance. The main issue wasn’t our skill level but our inability to work together as a cohesive unit. Many of us thought we were too good for JV, which prevented us from becoming true team players. This experience taught me that success is achievable with hard work, communication, and a collective effort, regardless of the resources at hand. This lesson stuck with me and became a cornerstone of my character. When I moved up to varsity during my sophomore and junior years, I encountered new challenges and opportunities for growth. Playing at a higher level, I quickly realized the importance of taking advice from more experienced players and coaches. It was essential to put my ego aside and listen to those who had more knowledge and experience. This willingness to learn and adapt not only improved my performance on the field but also earned me the respect of my teammates and coaches. These experiences have profoundly impacted my life outside of soccer. Being ranked #1 in my class, I’ll admit there were times when I felt superior to others. However, soccer taught me that everyone has something valuable to offer. By acknowledging and appreciating the contributions of others, I learned to be more humble and collaborative. This shift in perspective made me more well-liked and respected among my peers. My ability to make others feel heard and valued became a key aspect of my leadership style, benefiting various aspects of my academic and social life. Soccer has also reinforced the importance of perseverance and good decision-making. There were many times when the pressure was intense, both in games and in balancing sports with academics. By applying the lessons of hard work and teamwork from soccer, I learned to manage this pressure effectively. These traits have helped me navigate the challenges of being a top student, maintaining my GPA, and excelling in my extracurricular activities. Overall, soccer has been much more than just a sport I love; it has been a transformative experience. It has taught me to be humble, to value teamwork, and to make sound decisions. These character traits have not only made me a better athlete but also a better person. They have enabled me to build strong relationships, lead effectively, and handle the pressures of high school life with resilience and grace. Soccer has prepared me for future challenges and successes, and I am grateful for the lessons it has imparted on me.

The beautiful game has had my heart from a young age. I would watch my sister play growing up and knew that I had to play. From middle school, I knew that I wanted to be the goalkeeper because it was a tough job, and I loved challenges. My entire middle school career, I was scored on only once. I gained a sense of confidence from having a near-perfect record and wanted to continue playing in high school. However, the team that I wanted to join had gone three rounds deep into the playoffs, and earning a spot would be challenging. I practiced all summer with my sister and former teammates to keep myself in soccer shape and be ready for the season. When tryouts arrived, I was killing it. The night before, I was beyond nervous, but I was playing so well that people were cheering when I made impressive moves on key players and banger shots. I secured a varsity spot and was able to keep up the performance that I had at tryouts throughout the season. The work ethic that I gained from soccer persisted into my academics. I practiced the material to the point where I could not get anything less than an A because I knew it so well. My work ethic became a beneficial habit built on discipline and driven by passion. Soccer also helped me become a more open-minded and flexible person because in practice, we repeated the same drills together, but in games, we all had different ideas on what we thought would work best to win. It is not always easy seeing things the way certain teammates see things, but it is all for the common goal of winning. This affected my everyday life in the sense that not everyone is going to see or do things the same way I do, but overall, we are all working towards the common goal of living our best life. One final trait that I gained from soccer is my faith. I was so blessed to have a faith-driven team where we would pray over each other before the game for good health, our best playing ability, and to perform for His glory. Playing with people who were playing for the same purpose helped strengthen my confidence in my playing ability because I knew that Heavenly Father was watching over each of us in the game, and we trusted His plan for whatever direction He wanted for our team.

Through my passion for soccer, I've had the opportunity to develop essential character traits that have profoundly impacted my life. Growing up in Mexico, I was obsessed with playing soccer, and despite the obstacles that stood in my way, I was determined to pursue my passion. As I reflect on my journey, I realize that soccer has taught me valuable lessons that extend far beyond the pitch. One of the most significant character traits I've developed through soccer is resilience. Throughout my life, I've faced criticism and negativity from others, particularly when I played competitive soccer. However, I've learned to channel those negative comments into motivation, pushing me to work harder and prove myself. This resilience has enabled me to overcome obstacles and setbacks, both on and off the field. When I was forced to reassess my goals due to injuries and setbacks, I didn't give up. Instead, I adapted and found alternative routes to pursue my passion. Another essential character trait I've developed through soccer is discipline. As I learned about the strict diet and workout routine of my idol, Christiano Ronaldo, I realized the importance of discipline in achieving success. I began to prioritize my assignments, work out regularly, and eat healthy, and I've seen significant improvements in my overall well-being. Discipline has become a crucial part of my daily routine, and I've come to understand that motivation is temporary, but discipline is what drives me to stick to my routine and achieve my goals. Soccer has also taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. I've learned that success is not solely dependent on natural ability, but rather on the effort and dedication required to achieve it. This lesson has translated to other areas of my life, as I've applied the same work ethic to my academic pursuits and personal goals. I've come to understand that with persistence and determination, I can overcome any obstacle and achieve my goals. In conclusion, my passion for soccer has had a profound impact on my life, teaching me essential character traits such as resilience, discipline, and perseverance. These traits have enabled me to overcome obstacles, push beyond my limitations, and strive for excellence. As I move forward, I will continue to draw inspiration from my experiences on the pitch, applying the lessons I've learned to pursue my goals with renewed passion and determination. Now that I am able to continue my education at Texas Tech I will recall the traits that i've obtained while playing soccer to be the first in my family to go to college.

I began playing soccer at the age of four, and from that day forward I never knew a life without it. I was eleven when I learned that the best position on the field was protecting the keeper. I was twelve when weekends became busier than weekdays, and traveling became easier than math. The responsibility that came with soccer was something I discovered slowly as I grew into my body and identified an overpowering ambition that emphasized every fabric of my being that I hated losing. Today I understand how soccer has taught me more about myself than any subject in school, book, or experience. In eighth grade, soccer taught me the sacrifice of teamwork. As I experienced firsthand the bullying of an older player on my club team, my confidence was shattered on the field. I struggled with overcoming her incessant negative talk and struggled to focus on defending, dribbling, and supporting my team. After a difficult game, I decided that I was sick of allowing her to treat me poorly. I noticed that my teammates on the field were also enduring her constant negativity, and I realized it was time to step up and silence the pessimistic energy she brought. It marked my inaugural experience using my voice to lead on the field. While some of my favorite moments occurred while I played club soccer, nothing compares to the impact four years of playing high school soccer had on my life. Freshman year I played a total of 5 minutes. I hid in the shadows of a team of seniors who consistently diminished my worth as a person and player. I was put in miserable conditions during practice, and after sitting in freezing temperatures on the bench was given thirty seconds to "prove my worth" before the referee blew his whistle to end the game. I wanted to quit. I spent another season of my life crying to a mother with too much pride to allow me to give up. I'm forever grateful that I continued to show up and play. In my junior and senior years, I became a captain on the field, and I learned to be a leader before a player. I always worried that being a captain would mean that I would have to perform flawlessly day in and day out. I also worried that the only reason I was a captain was because my twin sister was phenomenal in goal and deserved more than anyone to wear the badge. I quickly learned that leadership was the meaning behind the armband. On March 28, 2024, I played my last soccer game. After traveling four hours to Midland, Texas, I found myself frozen with panic. I had previously experienced anxiety before games, but I knew that something was wrong. I could not focus while warming up, my head felt heavy, and seconds before running onto the field my left knee began to ache. Ten minutes later, I stepped over my opponent’s leg and forcefully placed my leg down. All my body weight landed on my knee, and my ACL was torn before I landed on the ground. After 14 years of playing soccer, I felt my hands shake as trainers drove me off the field. I felt helpless and was forced to watch my team adjust. I became a sympathetic supporter throughout the final two rounds and learned how to love a sport that was no longer available to me. Through this experience, I learned the value of lifting and leading others through words. I am forever grateful for the lessons soccer has taught me.