I have been playing soccer for about 8 years-about half my life, I have just realized. I started playing club soccer for 3 years and then started playing for my school soccer team in middle school. Now, this is my third year playing soccer in high school. But even though I have played soccer for such a long time, I still don't know where I belong on the field.
During my time playing club soccer, my coach seemed to think I was best at defense- that's where I played almost all the time. When I moved on to play for my middle school, I played either as a forward or as a winger. During these past three years of high school, I have been playing in essentially any conceivable position (besides keeper). Everyone else on the varsity squad knows where they belong, what position they have trained for. I am not particularly good or bad at anything in soccer, I am average at defending, at passing, at shooting, at sprinting, at crossing. To make matters worse, none of the positions on our team really particularly need filling.
There is a reason why professional soccer players specialize at certain positions. Sure, in soccer aptitude in any specific field position will be useful when playing a different one. Nonetheless, each position focuses on different skills. Wingers should be fast and good crossers. Strikers should be good at dribbling and finishing. Center midfielders should be good at passing and setting up plays.
At lower skill levels, the distinction between the necessary skills for certain positions is less obvious. As I have moved from low level U9 soccer to high school soccer, I have really felt this shift. My friends and I used to play soccer in a swarm of swinging feet chasing the ball all over the field. Now all of my friends have settled into their own preferred positions.
I really want to make an impact on my soccer team, but I am afraid I cannot do so if there is nothing I am good at. I need to choose a position that I want to play; that I think I will be better at. I need to learn where to position myself in various situations and be familiar with the responsibilities of the position. I need to focus on skills that I am likely to use in my position. Only then will I be truly useful to my team.
Excellent first post, Lyle! It's very nicely developed and focused, and you take a topic with a broad general interest and no obvious entry-point for introspection and use it as a springboard for a self-reflective post. I love the phrase "a swarm of swinging feet chasing the ball all over the field," which vividly recalls my memories of first- and second-grade park district games when my son first started playing soccer.
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting Lyle! Have you ever thought that it's actually pretty helpful for the team to have a versatile player that they can count on to fill any position? :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure having a versatile player like you would be an asset to the team. I've never personally enjoyed soccer, but if it's anything like other sports, having a jack of all trades can be crucial in situations where depth at certain positions is thin.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this. I think your introduction is great, and I really like the self-reflective aspects later on in the post. As others have said, you can still make a contribution to your team by being a versatile player, but have you other thought about trying to make a difference off the field? Chemistry is an important part of any team sport, and by encouraging and getting to know your teammates you can still "be truly useful" to your team.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you have found your calling as a Goalie? You always choose the right direction to dive during PKs, and it would be pretty easy to train somebody on a clean slate, thus making you an optimal choice.
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