"I'll be back in three days, four at the most," I cheerfully replied to my friend. He had just asked how long I'd be out of soccer with my injury. Having just pulled my first muscle I was quite optimistic in the assessment of my healing powers. It all started earlier in the summer at a soccer camp back east. After months of inactivity I had tried to come out and play full speed, and I ended up on the bench for three days with a hip flexor strain. Now, in the soccer preseason at my high school, I had reaggravated it in a timed, two-mile run. The trainer had said, "When you feel any pain just stop," but you know how you can't feel anything when you're on a runner's high.
I realized my initial estimation was far from correct after two weeks of watching the others from the sideline. To make matters worse, I received daily reprimands from my dad for being unintelligent. This brought me down almost as much as me drilling myself mentally. School started, and I got my spirits up a little as I met new people and reacquainted myself with others I hadn't seen all summer. My steady routine of going to the trainer, stretching, and running, kept me in good shape for my comeback. Or so I thought. My first day back after weeks on the sideline had me really excited. I was psyched up to be back on the pitch, but I found the first day back was fitness, and that I wasn't very fit at all. I put that behind me because I was doing what I loved with my friends.
I started out on JV even though I had hoped to start varsity this year, but I knew I could work my way onto varsity. I attended practice and worked hard to start JV and succeeded. Our first game was coming up, and my hip flexor felt stronger than ever. We were playing a tough team to a draw, and as I went to kick the ball, my leg pulled back, and POP went my other hip flexor. I came out for a short time, but went back in because it was too exciting to stay out. I got the assist on the winning goal when it was almost too dark to see the ball, and it was glorious. Our team celebrated and shook the other team's hands, but I knew I may have wrecked my season. Once again I came back, and I ended up playing a few more games after the second injury. Our JV did quite well, and we were a very closely-knit team, which means more than winning games.
This year, my senior year, is my chance to make the most of my high school soccer career. I learned a lot of things the hard way from my injury. I now know not to take anything for granted, especially the simple things. For me, that was doing what you enjoy and friendly competition. I know that I have to work hard to make the most of what I've got and to be able to excel. I know that I have to get through the hard times to get to the good times, because if I let the pitfalls get to me I'll never succeed. Most importantly I know that I have to believe in myself to get things done.
