It’s the last day of Varsity tryouts, and cuts are being made.”Bootz”. I run over to my coach. “You had a great tryout, but we are going to put you on Varsity Reserve,” he says. It is not the answer I want.

On the first day of Varsity Reserve practice, I watch the varsity team practice on the field next to me, wondering what it would be like. Snapping out of it saying to myself, “Hey, you can be on that team. Prove them wrong.”
Each practice and game I push myself to the point where I can hardly step on the gas pedal. I put all I had into each shot and cross. Toward the end of the season and my coach pulls me aside. He says, “I am going to move you up to Varsity for the rest of the season.” This is the answer I want.

Varsity practice. Everything is going so fast. I feel like an idiot. I tell myself to try my hardest. I didn’t play the rest of the season. At the end of the season, I ask my coach what I need to work on.
“Hit the weights and strengthen that left foot,” He says. And that’s what my summer consisted of.

It’s the final day of senior tryouts. I run over to my coach. He says, “We are going to keep you but you have to earn your playing time.”
I didn’t start the first four games. I used that to push me harder in games and practices to earn my starting position.

I am now starting on the Arrowhead Varsity Soccer team. We are undefeated, 5-0-0 in Conference. I go into each game as though I am still fighting for that starting position. I play every minute of every game. This is what I have been striving for. This is the answer I want.