Ever since I could talk, all I wanted to be was someone great. I would run around pretending to be a superhero, or a famous actress; but little did I know, in a few years, I would end up becoming something just as superior. I became myself- a soccer player, (no not a professional, at least not yet). I realized that, honestly, I do not have to be eminent or have a lot of money to impact lives. Just me doing what I love (which is playing the beautiful sport) and being myself has already helped so many people and made lives greater, including mine. To me, soccer is more than just a hobby, it is a lifestyle that affects every part of my life.
        

Soccer is definitely the world’s most famous sport. It dates back to 3,000 years ago and is played all around the world. For people who think that soccer is silly because all you do is kick and chase a ball around ....it’s more than that. Soccer brings the whole world together and brings out the compassion within the soul. Everyone, from all around the globe, gets to come together and cheer and support their team as one. Not only that, but they get to share in the love with the prodigious sport.
         

Now personally, I felt like my passion sprouted from when I first laid my foot on a soccer ball. To my astonishment, I was “supposed” to be a dancer and cheerleader. Everyone thought that too, well at least until my mom spent 20 minutes trying to drag me off the field with me screaming and crying after the first session. My mom mentioned to me it was so bad, that people actually thought I was being kidnapped. Whoops. But from there, my soccer career started and my life path sprouted.       
          

However, my soccer life has never been a stroll through the park. I have went through some rough times of people doubting me and saying that I couldn’t do it. I’ve also made a lot of mistakes. But I come to realize that in life there are people that are going to hold you by the strings and tell you what you can or cannot do, but you have to break away from it. My old coach actually told me that I wasn’t going to make the the varsity soccer team next year for high school and said I shouldn’t even strive for it. That’s not going to stop me from trying though. The biggest thing soccer taught me was how to have grit and this skill doesn’t just apply to soccer but to life in general. In addition, I didn’t have to go through it alone, I had people who supported me along the way whom I call my soccer family.
                      

I’m glad that I can say I made a whole second family from soccer. They are the people I can go to with any problem or issue and they always have my back. Take my best friend, Grace, for example: we honestly probably wouldn't have ever been friends if it wasn't for soccer and wouldn't have the amazing relationship we have today. I remember when we were on rival teams, but when we played middle school soccer together and got to know each other more and realized we had so much in common. It lead us to now, with me being able to proudly say she’s my teammate on my club team GFA (International Girls Futbol Association). Soccer has given me so many opportunities to work with and experience different types of people. It also gave me my best friends. 
                 

Soccer is no doubt is apart of my future plans. I work so hard and have put in so much effort that I can't just stop being involved with it. My future plans with soccer isn't even that far away either.  My first goal is to make high school varsity, my first year. The second goal and the one I’m most focused on is getting a scholarship for soccer in college. One day I even may coach my children on their soccer teams. Honestly, all the decisions I'm making right now are because of my future goals for soccer.
        

I'm so passionate about soccer because it is the answer to why I am who I am today. Not only does soccer make me feel more secure, but it also relieves me. Anytime I'm stressed or don't want to think of something, futbol is the answer. I think of it as a person that I can go too for anything to get my mind off something, except it can't talk back, and it's not an actual human being. It's taught me life lessons only a few people have the chance to realize. The smashing sport gave me grit and the reason to strive for something great. For me, soccer is like my heart and my soul, I can't live without it.