ASG U11 Girls had to win in penalty kicks to advance to the championship. I was shooting first and the 11-year-old me was nervous. I went far right and missed. Devastated. Junior Year. I’m up for a PK in the 4th quarter. I plan on a strike to the right-side netting with pace. I go too far right, missing the goal leaving Leon with a loss on senior night. Disappointed. Senior Year. I take 5 PKs this season and go 5/5. Throughout my soccer career, I’ve learned a couple of things and these lessons have stuck with me in my athletic development while pouring over into my academic career, personal life, and more. While one of these lessons is it’s okay to miss a PK, here are my top 3. Lesson 1: Lack of effort is worse than lack of skill. The player who may not have as much skill, but is sprinting to every ball, getting back on defense, calling for the ball, and marking their man is better (in my book) than the player who waits until they get the ball to put in the effort or is inconsistent. It’s the same way in everyday life. There’s no excuse for not working hard. There’s no excuse for not doing the things that only require effort. Natural born gifts are uncontrollable, but little things that simply require discipline and hardwork will outweigh a lack of effort. Lesson 2: It’s ok if you have to go backward before you go forward. Sometimes in soccer, we’re so eager to score that we’re forcing the ball upfield. We try to make passes where there’s no actual lane and we lose possession. To make progress, we need to possess the ball. Sometimes the correct option is to drop the ball to the keeper, pull outside backs wide, and build from the back. It’s the same way in everyday life. When life isn’t going as planned, I can take a step back and recalculate. In the future, I may be switching jobs and accepting a lower position at a better company to have more opportunities. Success isn’t linear and whenever I feel like I’m moving backward when I’m trying to go forward, I know there’s a different route to progress. Lesson 3: Check to the ball. Play smart off the ball. Most of soccer is played off of the ball and what you do off is equally if not more important than when you’re on. Asking yourself where you need to be to receive a pass or play the ball out of danger is critical. It’s the same way in everyday life. The bare minimum is not enough. Being smart and active when you're not in the presence of your craft is what makes one great. In life, I have to continue to do ‘optional’ work to see a more immediate, positive impact. I must take time to pay attention to less obvious but equally important things. It will allow me to be a more well-rounded individual. These lessons I’ve learned on the pitch I will apply throughout everyday life. I plan to take this lifelong developed knowledge with me to the University of Miami where I will study as a Biology/Pre-Med major with a minor in Chinese to become a plastic surgeon specializing in reconstruction in underserved communities. I am a Hammond Scholar and Foote Fellow who will participate in the PRISM Program for STEM Students while playing as a Cane during the spring season. I will cherish the tests of skill, athleticism, endurance, and memories this beautiful game has brought upon me.