It's been two years since I played my last "official" soccer game, and there are so many things that I can say I miss about my favorite sport. The traveling and experiencing different places, not having to worry about exercising or staying in shape on my own, and being able to show my talents as a part of a team are just a few that come to mind. But the ultimate thing I miss the most from my 15 years as a soccer player, are my teammates themselves.

I know without a doubt, that if I hadn't had those girls by my side to get through every fitness practice, grueling road trip, and flight delays (or cancellations), I wouldn't have stuck with it all the way through my senior year. My teammates were the ones who kept me going, and helped me not become burnt out.

My experience with playing soccer (as a part of both a high-school and travel club team) taught me so many valuable lessons. It taught me discipline, responsibility, and respect. It instilled in me the importance of commitment, hard work, and dedication to a team. But most importantly, it taught me friendship like I'd never known.

Throughout my 15 years, I had many different teammates come and go, all being equally as great and talented as the next. However, there are six girls that will never, ever be replaced, and who's friendship I value more than anything (you know who you are).

These girls are the perfect example of friendships that withstand the battle of time, distance, and ultimately any and every difference you can think of. Even as these two years have passed and our lives have taken us through different states and phases, we still have this unspeakable bond. I've never had friends who are more invested in my life and know everything going on in it, even from miles and miles away.

We still plan trips and get-togethers whenever we get the chance, and even with our busy schedules, we somehow always find a way to make it work. These times are what I look forward to the most. Even though we have all grown and experienced so many different things on our own, together it's as if nothing has changed at all.

My favorite part about these friends is how absolutely different we all are. We all used to say that "We would all totally not be friends if we all went to the same high school." I love the fact that we can all 100% be ourselves, and not have to feel as if we have to live up to some other expectation or be judged. We all have our own, seperate friends, and together we form our very own, unique group.

Thank you, Landis, for never failing to make us all laugh, and for being MY example of what a true love/hate relationship is.

Thank you, Tupe, for being the kindest, most positive spirit for everyone, no matter what curveballs life throws.

Thank you, MG, for being low-key crazy with me, and always finding the best way to have fun.

Thank you, Marge, for your dry sense of humor, your wit, and your compassionate acceptance of anyone and everyone for exactly who they are.

Thank you, Toeri, for reminding us all how to be "cool" and to relax and enjoy the moment we're in.

Thank you, Britti, for being the sanity that holds us all together, and my forever reminder of the kind of good, wholesome person everyone should strive to be.

Ultimately, I write all of this to say thank you for making my entire soccer career all the better. From every long bus ride where we probably wanted to kill each other, to every new adventure traveling the country to play the sport that brought us all together, I couldn't imagine any of those experiences without you guys there.

I thank God every day for lasting, irreplaceable friendships like yours. Here's to BUSA '97 ECNL forever!