Super Bowl Sunday has become an unofficial holiday in America. During this day the country seems to be at a standstill.

Or should I say sitstill, as everyone, even those who do not watch football all year, spend the day around the television.

However, around the world, the World Cup would garner much more recognition. Soccer is known for being the unofficial “universal language” and has a way of bringing the world together.

Ironically, though, while the rest of world is at a standstill during the World Cup, most Americans are just continuing their daily life.

I finally realized this when I started playing at high school where I would look into the stands and see few actual students, if any, that were not involved with the sport.
I understand people do not stand in line or spend hundred dollars on tickets to watch soccer in the United States, but I love to play anyways.

To play any sport at a high school level or higher, you have to be dedicated.

Not only do you spend a lot of time at practice, but also countless hours working on your own. And then you spend even more time studying so your grades are high enough to play.

And let’s not forget the wonderful Saturday morning practices, when you really want nothing more than to turn your alarm off and bury your head under a pillow.

Why do I do this, you ask? Especially for a sport where the stands aren’t full?

Well, simply because I love it.

There’s just something about the sound of the ball as it hits the crossbar of the goal.
Or the smell of a freshly painted and cut grass field.

The feeling of accomplishment that washes over you when you save a shot from the opposing team.

Or the sound of the net as the ball rockets to the back of the goal.

The feeling you get when you have the ball at your feet. And everything in the world seems to be perfect.

And the fact that no matter what happens on or off the field, we have each other’s backs.
Because of our small fan base, we become closer as a program. We play for each other rather than our screaming fans.

And everyone is a family, including the boys’ team. During their season we go out and support and cheer for them at their games.

And during our season they come out and support us.

Since a very young age soccer has given me so much. It has given me a second family of people that share the same passion as I do.

Somewhere to escape problems for a few hours. It has taught me life lessons such as leadership, respect, and determination. Because of soccer I am the person I am today.

I started playing soccer because I idolized my older sister when I was younger. And she played, so did I. Back then I would have never thought it would have meant as much to me as it does now.

I would have never thought that I could play a sport with all my heart and not care who was there to watch it.