People can have so many different definition to what their love of the game is, for me it’s been an emotional roller coaster the past year. Dealing with anxiety and depression has pushed my love for the game of soccer to so many extremes. With the thought of “maybe I should quit” and “I’m not good enough to play anymore” and “maybe soccer isn’t just for me anymore”. Looking backing on those thoughts and hating that they ever came into my head because without soccer I don’t know how I would even function in life. Too many time my depression has taken the things I loved and turned them into things I don’t love anymore, but with soccer I’m fighting back I won’t let my depression rip that away from me again.

Soccer has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. If I were to walk away from it, I don’t know how I would be able to find the happiness that I somewhat have within myself. With the camps, I’ve been through, the hours of practice, the coaches I didn’t like and the teams where I felt out of place; I still have a passion for soccer and I don’t know what I would do without it. My depression tried to take soccer away from me because too many times it told me I wasn’t good enough but I’m not letting that happen anymore soccer is a huge part of my life and I plan on it staying that way for a while.

With the over flowing amount of support I get from my parents, I know it would break their hearts just as much as it would break mine if I ever were to walk away from soccer. They may not have the same passion about soccer as I do but I know that they still care about soccer a lot.

Here’s to not letting my depression take away the best thing in my life.