During the Fall of 2019, the beginning of my 12th grade year, I was playing my last soccer season for my high school team(Law and Tech Jets). I was heading into the season feeling prepared to give it my all, but a bit scared over the unknown challenges that were to come. The team knew that our biggest challenges were facing these two very challenging teams in the league, Emma Lazarus and NYC iSchool . I believed in the team and was very hopeful to try and win the league. The league started off with a sensible loss, it was our first game and we faced Emma Lazarus. We knew we were up for a challenge, but a 7-1 loss in the first game can have a mental toll in you if you’re not prepared for it in case. But the ambiance in the team was always good enough to pick our emotions up before and after a game. After that, the sun vanished the clouds and our team went on to win the next four games! The four games that we won were filled with so many amazing and some suffering moments. I remember the four games being crazy fun because some crazy and unexpected goals were scored, we won a game or two where we came back from losing in the first or second half of the games, and the team gained so much hype and confidence from winning four games consecutively. And for me, this boosted my confidence so much because I felt more effective as a striker, as I was scoring more goals and giving more assists to my teammates than my previous season. My statistics in the team were improving, showing that my hard work and knowledge was paying off. But after our fourth consecutive win, we had to face NYC iSchool. The team was so confident in each other heading into this game as we were in our best levels of soccer yet. We knew we had the fight in us as the four previous wins were there to prove it. Our training sessions before the game were filled with intensity and lots of motivation as we wanted to bring a fight to them in our soccer. But we also knew that we had to stay more defensive and be ready for what was coming. The game went on with lots of intensity, but it ended with a 4-0 loss for us. We took the loss knowing we did our very very best. We had to win our next and final game and have Lyons Community Soccer Team lose to enter the playoffs. This went on to happen and we had to face NYC iSchool in the playoffs(Semi-final) to go on to the finals. The team was already very honored to be in the playoffs because we knew that entering the playoffs was always a challenge, but our hard work led us there. We lost 4-0. It was a hurtful loss for the team, but we took out the best things from the loss and remembered that that was our best season yet and that the team has improved so much as it was shown during the season. We stayed 3rd place and left home happy, even though we wanted more than that. But I cannot forget how amazing that experience was for me. And now looking back at it almost two years later, it helps me not stay down and unmotivated during the pandemic and during my hard times in college. I learned that there is no reason for me to believe that I’m not good at anything or that my descended level of soccer and fitness will forever stay like that. I had to overcome many mental obstacles and remember how amazing I was playing soccer during those times, and to not forget them. Because I was not that good at soccer for no reason, I did not score 5 goals and gave 6 assists in 8 games for no reason, I did not always bring some fear to my rivals for no reason. I learned that no matter how hard I fell to the ground from my mistakes, I can get up even stronger and recover from it like a warrior, and not forget the person I was once. And now I am ready to get back at playing soccer and hopefully being one of the best in the world. It can be good to dig back to the past but remember the good things. Just like Tame Impala says “If it calls you, embrace it, If it haunts you, erase them.” 

(Yes, looking back at the bad things can help you learn from your mistakes, but that’s another topic to talk about. Hopefully re-reading the lyrics can help understand what I mean.)