016 | NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

CHANGE ISN’T RISKY, BEING STAGNANT IS.

As you start developing and growing within your soccer journey, you may encounter the scenario where you switch teams. You could be joining this new team for several reasons; promotion to a higher level, not gelling well with the previous coaches/players, or moving to a new city/state. While the initial shock of going to a new environment with a whole new culture can be challenging, always remember that a chance to start fresh is never a bad one, especially when taken with care, optimism, and confidence.

I was late to the competitive soccer scene, my first year of high school, and joined my first club team straight from rec. You could imagine the shock that ensued. A team full of highly developed players, strict coaching, and a practice/game schedule made me feel like I had never actually competed before. While it was initially rough, being open-minded and always asking questions quickly helped me earn respect from my teammates and coaches. However, we made the most critical decision after my club coach had an honest discussion with my parents and me.

We talked about needing to get touches and knowledge outside of regular team activities. Not just touches in a backyard by myself, but instead from another club coach who offered personal training outside of regular team training. Private training was where my coach broke down all of the simple techniques, and I was challenged but still saw success. After about a year of this, I was a different player. I had a newfound confidence, became an integral part of my team, and eventually got promoted to the top one.

While it could have been easy to take my coach's honest words as an attack on my ability, we decided to see the positive in it. By being honest, we knew that he saw something in me, something I may not have even seen in myself. Whatever your situation may be when joining a new team, remember to be honest with yourself, open-minded, and confident because you are there for a reason. That reason, however, is something only you will find out through putting yourself in that new situation.