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Going After My Goals

Menchies Group Photo

Above photo: Rachel and her soccer team.

By Rachel Lipton (YES 2018 - 2019, Bangladesh, hosted by AFS in Saint Louis, MO) 

I don't know what made me sign up for soccer. When I knew I was going on exchange, I was pretty sure I would not be taking up a sport. But I did, and it was one of the best choices I made this year. One of the boxes I wanted to check off as soon as I received news that I would be an exchange student is making new friends. All my life, I have been a shy person, and it took me a while to open up to people and feel comfortable around them. I thought to myself, maybe taking up a sport would help me make friends easily. If you train and practice every day after school together, you are bound to have at least one more friend than you started with. 

Why was the sport soccer? Maybe because for as long as I can remember, I loved soccer. Watching it gave me a thrill; playing it kicked up my spirits and helped me have fun amidst everything else that would go on. Now, here I was on the field with so many other girls that probably felt the same way about soccer as I did since they signed up too. It was the first day. Even before anything happened, I felt my hands get clammy and my heart starting to race. I was unsure of how I would do, or if the coach would be too upset that I couldn't dribble the soccer ball well. I wanted to make a good impression and let him know I wanted to play this sport.

Menchies Soccer Board
Our names on a Menchie's (a frozen yogurt restaurant) Board

My impression on how this season would look like changed right on that first day. As the weeks progressed, my initial thoughts that I had on the first day were replaced with positivity. Instead of it being this dreary, competitive, after-school activity that I impulsively joined and am confined to for the rest of the school year, it became fun. Turns out, the coach is one of the sweetest people I have ever met in my life. When I have other things to do after school, he does not make me do a hundred pushups for missing practice. Instead, he encourages and helps us all perfect our passing. He motivates us and makes sure we are giving it our all. He reminds us schoolwork and homework will come first. The girls on the team are all kind and caring. It has only been a few weeks, and it seems like everyone has each other’s back. They are all supportive of each other. It really does feel like a team, a unison of girls that were all scattered around in a school much bigger than what I was used to, coming together to enjoy a beloved sport. 

One of my main goals this year was to make friends, to put myself out there and try to talk to people more. As a naturally shy person, this was hard to do. By joining soccer, I attempted to reach that target. I ended up meeting all these unique people with lots of positivity, and we continue to bond well. It was a goal, and I scored it.


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