It was a surprising transformation.
It was the summer of 2019, and I was an unathletic beanpole of an 11-year-old who had never been very interested in sports. I played a little bit of soccer four years previously. However, I quit after only a few months due to my lack of understanding and appreciation for the sport.
So, in 2019, my journey as a soccer player began. I had lived in a quaint town in Pennsylvania when I met two neighborhood kids whose parents were immigrants from Mexico. I got on quite well with them, and we did everything that preteens generally do. We usually played video games, rode bikes, or chatted when we hung out. In the summer of 2019, we began to play soccer together.
I was inexperienced then, evidenced by not having cleats or a ball. We created makeshift goals out of cones, and I would be consistently trounced in our games. As I played the game with them, I was inspired by their skill and enjoyment of the sport. Their relatives often watched us play, encouraging me to keep practicing and growing as a player. I certainly did that. I came out almost every evening and remarkably improved through the summer. I was thoroughly enjoying the beautiful game.
By the time 2020 had rolled around, I was already an avid fan of the professional game in Europe. If I remember correctly, the first match highlights I ever watched were the highlights of Man City’s 8-0 win over Watford on September 21, 2019. Just over a week later, my 12th birthday present arrived–a 2019-20 Lionel Messi jersey on a Barcelona home kit. In February 2021, I joined my first official club after a long delay because of the coronavirus; the delay gave me more time to develop and cultivate my skills, which was a blessing in disguise.
Three and a half years later, I’m a seasoned club player who has played in two different states for three different clubs. This has been such a great gift to me!
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But there is One Whom I love far more than the sport, and He is the God, Who, in His grace, has given me this opportunity to glorify Him through it. When I first started playing, I was not prioritizing Him first in my life; but in His mercy, He convicted me to seek Him first, and now I’ve truly come to rest in the peace found in His Son, Jesus Christ, no matter how difficult things are, on or off the field. The two takeaways I want all readers of this article to walk away with are these – get out of your comfort zone and work hard at something new, even if it’s difficult (you may end up loving it as I did), and most importantly, repent of your sin and believe in Jesus Christ for salvation!
