My life has never been a smooth ride but has been met with various hurdles which came in form of failures and disappointments. However, as I got disappointed with actions not going as I intended or wished for them to unfold, I used them as learning points and further used it as a way of bettering myself. This is due to the fact that experience is considered as the best teacher. In my case, whatever I experienced as I failed, enable me to have new and vital information which I considered to be of great importance for my success. My failure did not stop me from trying each and every time a chance came towards me and I was able to encourage myself with the fact that the more I failed the better the success that was coming my way. I am really passionate about my soccer but as I grew up, I never have could imagine that I was able to achieve this level of success due to the fact that I was short in nature. President John. F. Kennedy once said that “Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly.” The happenings in my view were able to show me that my persistence and determination may be the main reason I am able to achieve these great lengths that I had earlier considered to be impossible.
All through my life, I was and still I am passionate about soccer. My parents tell me that I started kicking the ball from the minute I was able to walk and with this young lad who always carried his soccer ball everywhere he went. I went ahead to start playing club soccer at the tender age of 6 years. All this time I played the matches not having the desired success levels and when I was 8 years old I played goalie during an adult soccer tournament but it was not the big break I had wished for. My big break came when I was 10 years old where I was allowed to join a youth soccer club.
As years passed I continued to play in my football club until one day I was required to move out of California to Guadalajara, Mexico, to go and live with my grandparents. The move from California was not an easy task but due to the fact that in some cases I would end up being homesick even though my grandparents cared dearly about my wellbeing and always showered me with euphoric love. While in Guadalajara, my passion for soccer never deprecated one single bit. My uncle was able to help me nature my talent and passion, due to the fact that he allowed me to go and try out for a Mexican Professional Soccer Club known as Chivas Del Guadalajra youth club, which I was chosen to join the team regardless of the fact that I was short and was applying for the goalie’s position which is conventionally considered a position that is meant for tall individuals. I played in the club for 3 years and with this game time and training, I was able to improve my skills in soccer in one way or the other.
When I was 13 years old, still in the youth team, but no game time due to the fact that my stature was deemed not fit enough to adequately be a good goalkeeper due to the fact that the other goalkeepers in the team, although I might say that I was better in terms of my reflexes and other goal tending traits, were taller than me and hence were favored for the spot. The greatest blow to my football career came when I suffered a devastating knee injury which required that I go for a surgery in order to save my knee. With this injury, I was dropped off from the team and was forced to go back home to my family filled with disappointment and bitterness. This was mainly due to the fact that I was unable to meet my goals to play professionally. I was enrolled into rehabilitation in order to provide me with a chance to adequately heal and after my sessions, I was given a chance to try out again for the team, but I turned it down, since, I was of the opinion that I ended up injuring my knee due to the fact that I was trying to prove people wrong that, even though I am a mere 5’3 individual I was able to be a goalkeeper for a professional team.
In conclusion, every time I look back I realize that the experience was great and I only failed to retain a spot in the youth club due to my own self-doubt, but take these happening as learning points in my everyday life. In addition to this, they taught me that my failure was caused by me losing trust in myself and blaming my height for the fact that I was unable to retain by spot in a professional soccer club whereas I possessed all the required attributes to not only retain it but also be successful in it. This lesson has helped me further as an adult due to the fact that it has taught me that in some instances things might not happen as I wish for them to happen, but it is best I accept and move on without any form of regret knowing that something bigger and better is in place for me. Lastly, I hope that my experience is proof enough to the public at large, but mostly the children and the youth to be able to prove to them that at times we may am to do a particular action, but it look to be unachievable, they should not give up but rather work extremely hard and be dedicated to achieving the goal they have set.
Work Cited
John F.Kennedy Presidential Library and museum. "Day of Affirmation Address, University of Capetown, Capetown, South Africa, June 6, 1966." 6 June 1966. Robert F. Kennedy Speeches. 27 June 2016 <http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/Ready-Reference/RFK-Speeches/Day-of-Affirmation-Address-as-delivered.aspx>.Web.
