Soccer was, and still is, my escape. It pushes you beyond you think it possible, takes skill and strategy that is earned and not given and creates countless, special friendships. If you played soccer in high school, you are guaranteed to relate and enjoy these nineteen facts.

1. Pre-Wrap was life.

Your bathroom cabinet was essentially a showcase for the absurd amount of pre-wrap you owned in almost every color. And yes, this was necessary because no matter how much you loved pre-wrap, it would always break at the most inconvenient times.

2. Them calves though

There is nothing like those soccer calves beautifully sculpted from the countless hours of practice (that will also take about three years of inactivity to fade away).

3. Bruises. Were. Everywhere.

Not only were your legs covered with an array of colorful bruises, you also somehow end up with marks all over your body. Like how did I get a bruise on my shoulder blade…?

4. Scarred for life

In addition to bruises, your knees and shins are permanently scarred from the numerous slide tackles (that seemed like a great idea at the time) and the worse of all, the turf burns.

5. The tan lines are real.

There is nothing like having one-third of your body tan AF while the other two-thirds look like it hasn’t seen the daylight in over a year. Your non-soccer friends always had an enjoyable time making fun of you at the beach.

6. Junk in your trunk.

No matter if it was off season or not, the trunk of your car always had an extra pair of cleats, shorts, soccer socks, a cutoff and of course, two or three balls. You never knew when you’ll need full gear for a random pickup game.

7. The smells weren’t all roses and sunshine

Let’s just say that no matter how much perfume, air fresheners and frequent washes, your car, soccer bag, shin guards, cleats and let’s be real, you too, always had a distinct aroma that only soccer could produce.

8. Huge water jug

One third was for drinking, one third was to pour on yourself and one third was reserved for those random water fights at the end of practice.

9. The feeling when you hear your warmup music.

Dusk is approaching, the sun is fading, and you hear your warmup music break through the silence- that is what gives you the hype. Regardless of how many years have passed since high school soccer, those songs will always be a nostalgic reminder of the nights under the lights.

10. Unwarranted hate

Every team has their rivals, either for stealing the championship title the year before, breaking your teammate’s arm during a previous game or simply being the town over, the mutual dislike of another team is sometimes all the motivation you need to kick some ass.

11. Spaghetti dinners were the BOMB.

Forever thankful for the parents who fed twenty sweaty and hungry girls. Whoever claimed that boys can eat more than girls has obviously not seen a girls soccer team at a spaghetti dinner… But like, where’s the garlic bread?

12. Bus rides - aka the best team bonding

First, everyone would find their predetermined bus buddy - often arguing who would get the outside of the seat. Second, you would settle in for an unpredictable road trip with your best friends often filled with truth or dare, karaoke, or dance parties.

13. It is MUCH more than just a number.

Your jersey number becomes apart of who you are. Yes, it may just be the screened print of the back of your shirt, but for you personally, it is your soccer identity.

14. The embarrassing nutmeg.

That epic feeling of nutmegging another player followed by the hoots of burns and approval from your bench! But also, that complete embarrassment but also respect when the other team nutmegs you…

15. Soccer t-Shirt for days

“This is where I hang my soccer t-shirt, and if you look over here this is wear I put my folded soccer t-shirts Oh! And that pile of clothes in the corner are also my soccer t-shirts.”

16. Not being able to refrain from kicking the ball in other sports

You may see a basketball, volleyball and even a football, but all a soccer player sees is a round(ish) object that they can juggle.

17. Dress-up days

On games days, we wear dresses (or sweats, if it’s an away game). We really just wanted to prove that yes, we can look delicate in our skirts, but we can also strategically take out a girl without the ref calling it while mud streaks our white jerseys.

18. That special bond.

No matter what your relationship is outside of soccer, when you are on the field your teammates became your family. One that you never let another team push around without slyly and aggressively shoving them the play afterward.

Besides, most of the time your teammates, regardless of your ages, will become your best friends.

19. Game days are the best days.

No matter how long you have played soccer, the game day jitters never disappear. It is the drive to the game with your personal pump up songs blaring through the speakers, tying on your favorite cleats that are held together with duct tape and faith, hearing your name echo through the stadium during lineup, the dew that gradually descends on the field, the background cheers from the fans, and complete sense of being free playing the sport that you love.