Personal Statement
I was the girl who always carried her soccer ball so everyone could play at school. For many years I played it for fun, but when I turned twelve, I entered a second division team as a defender. Before starting a tournament, our goalkeeper left the team leaving us stranded. The team was devastated because we wanted to take part in that tournament, so without hesitation I stood in front of the goal and offered myself as a goalkeeper. There was a month left for the tournament, so I had to step up my training. Many of the team’s directors told the coach that I did not work for that position and that he was crazy for wanting to train me, but he told them, “Give me a month and you will see that she will become an excellent goalkeeper.” When I start something, I give everything from within and that is how it was. Day after day, I trained harder and harder to prove not only that I could, but so that my coach, the only one who trusted me, would be proud of me. After that month, we didn’t win the tournament, but I became the goalkeeper that I never thought I could be. At that moment, I didn’t know that I had started my sports career that would accompany me for the rest of my life.
When I started this sport, I started to improve in school as well; my grades began to rise as well as my attitude. Many did not understand why I was doing better while in a sport since time is supposedly wasted. The sport showed me discipline and time management. Furthermore, the stress and anxiety I suffered disappeared when I played. I also discovered that I am a competitive person, I love the challenges, I am positive, I work well in a team, and I have a lot of mental strength. With mental strength, I do not give up easily because my position as a goalkeeper is difficult: my mistake equals a point for the rival team. I have to trust myself and try harder to minimize error.
Soccer has not only helped me to know myself better, but has also helped me to face drastic changes. Due to my dad’s work, I have lived in three different countries: Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua, but I have moved approximately five times in different areas of those. Every change has been difficult, but thanks to soccer, I have been able to adapt easily in each country.
