Goalkeeping

As a goalie I was told by my 8th grade soccer coach that I was responsible for making sure the ball didn’t go in the back of the net. Which stuck with me for two years of my life. Stressing over making stupid little mistakes like messing up a word while talking, forgetting something I was supposed to do, and not diving to save a shot because I doubted my skills. Thinking I was all alone on the field. But when I look at it before the ball gets to me, the striker misses a shot, the midfielder makes the wrong pass, losing us the ball, and the right back gets beat on the wing, which then leads to me getting scored on. Soccer is a team game and so is life

From the start of high school most of us were nervous about what things people noticed about us. Distracting us from the good things school offers. We hesitate to join clubs worried about making mistakes and not fitting in, ignoring the possibilities of making new friends and improving your skills. We put ourselves down mentally, holding us back from what we are truly capable of. Manuel Neuer,a professional goalie leading the champions league with clean sheets once said “I used to cry when I let in a goal, I always thought I was to blame because I was the last man” if we focus too much on our problems we tune out the people around us trying to help. 

To friends, family, fellow students, and anyone else who hears this. Don’t fight your battles alone if you don’t have to. Reach out to people around you, if you can’t ask anyone you know, talk to new people. We shouldn’t let ourselves be restrained by anxiety. Put yourself out there and embarrass yourself, because that just proves to everyone that you’re living your life to the fullest. The more connections we have, the easier life’s problems become. Take a moment to reflect and ask yourself, Why think you have all the responsibility to protect the net when there are ten other players on the field with the same goal?

“Manuel Neuer Euro 2012 vs Netherlands (Cropped)” by Олег Дубина is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.