the first soccer game of the year

first soccer game of the year = great start to the year.  it was an awesome turn out.  i played great.  sore calves, the lovely feeling of wanting to throw up and a sore thigh and sprained finger afterwards made that game as thrilling as it was.  sure it was tough at some points when pain took over but it was all about what happened in those 90 minutes that I wanted to focus on.  my coach always asks us who we are going to be when we step onto the field.  he explains that we can't be the same person as we are when were off the field.  some say an animal proving that they are hungry and want it, others don't reply, and I say Amy Rodriguez - the girl from this blog post who i am trying to be like this soccer season.  I changed my number to #8 this season, to remind me to play like her.  i could have cried ( i didn't!! ) from the text my coach texted me after the game. my coach told me that I wore that jersey and number proud and that Amy would have been proud of me.  reading that text while I was icing my thigh and taping my fingers left me proud that i did my part as a soccer player, and did it well, just like Amy.  i was determined, and left everything on the field.

Our soccer shirts really are true when it says: sweat + sacrifice = success.

~ amy