WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE COLLEGE SOCCER
my college experience is something that i will cherish for the rest of my lifetime. Through the fridnships and memories thaT were created, i will forever be graTeful for college soccer.
AFTER MY FRESHMAN FALL SEASON (IN 2017) I WROTE A LIST OF 50 THINGS THAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE SOCCER. Please take a moment tO read what i took away from the past 6 years and what i wish i knew going in to it.
I hope this is helpful to as many soccer players as it reaches!
1. Don’t wish time away. It goes by a lot faster than you think
2. Some people won’t understand your lifestyle and your commitment to your sport
3. Big girl decisions have big girl consequences
4. Let your parents buy you food when they are in town
5. Drink lots of water
6. Tell your friends to come to games! It’s so fun to see them in the stands.
7. Who you associate with reflects upon you
8. Clean your bathroom
9. Do your laundry
10. No one is going to tell you to go to bed or do your homework or get up in the morning. You are going to have to become independent
11. You can’t have chicken Nuggets every meal. Make good choices about how you eat
12. Make lots of mistakes now.
13. Do stuff with your teammates, but make friends outside of your sport (or even narps) too
14. You can be out on the field just as much as the girl next to you or else you wouldn’t have been recruited
15. Your athletic trainer and strength coach are vital resources
16. Be intentional with your actions and have a plan for how you are going to execute them
17. Learn to take in criticism on the field. We aren’t yelling at you to be mean. We are yelling because they want your best self.
18. Every time you step on the field is a chance to prove yourself
19. It’s never as good as you think, but it’s also never as bad
20. When they say 6:30 workouts, they mean 6:15. Early is on time, on time is late, and late is just that…late
21. Don’t be late…ever
22. Play for each other
23. Create relationships with your professors. Soccer isn’t going to last forever, you’re going to need a job someday
24. There are going to be plenty of parties. It’s okay to miss one
25. Intensity will be appreciated by everyone, not looked as “being a try hard”
26. Don’t go buying a bunch of gear…you will get plenty
27. Be nice to your parents even if you lost. They are there to support and love you
28. Your tan lines will not go away so embrace them
29. Don’t let your mistakes define you
30. Your coaches end up finding out everything, so make good choices
31. Keep a journal
32. One game doesn’t make or break your season
33. Stock up on hair ties
34. Help with equipment
35. Always be nice to the staff, no matter their position
36. Keep your locker clean
37. Leave your jersey in a better place than you found it
38. Be tough on your training and tolerant on your performance. Training is an opportunity for you break down what you can get better at. Games are a time to express what you can do. Don't put too much pressure on games.
39. Tell your teammates something nice more often
40. You can be a good teammate and not have to spend 100% of your time off the field with your teammates
41. Don’t run on tile in the locker room in your cleats. You will slip.
42. Take a shower after practice…and if you can’t, at least use deodorant
43. You will be sore
44. Your coach is yelling at you because he cares…When he stops is when you should be concerned
45. Be smart with your money
46. Find a good place to study early on
47. Live by ice baths, recovery pants, and naps
48. The term is student athlete…not athlete student
49. Play for each other.
50. Don’t wait for your senior year to make it happen.
51. Don’t forget why you started playing.
52. It isn’t always fun
53. There can be times for a change
54. Maybe that change is something about you
55. Do not go in with the mindset “If I don’t play, I’ll just transfer”
56. Use your social media for good
57. You shouldn’t have to take photos at community service events for it to count
58. Your character says a lot about you
59. Make an impact on the community
60. Play for something bigger than yourself
70. You are never alone out on the field
71. Being fit isn’t something people just tell you. It allows for your team to succeed.
72. Be positive.
73. Be selfless.
74. Hold others accountable.
75. Hold yourself accountable first.
76. Leadership isn’t always yelling.
77. Different people are motivated differently.
78. Talk to someone when you aren’t okay
79. You are human.
80. You are allowed to feel things. Don’t hold in your emotions
81. You are so much more than an athlete
82. There is NO comparison to the joy college soccer can bring you.
83. The heartbreak it can bring it hard too.
84. Make your moments count.
85. Naps are good.
86. Have your notes and thoughts together for your meetings with coaches
87. Don’t become consumed with what the other team does. Do what you do well.
88. It is very hard to beat a team who has heart
89. It is even harder to beat a team who has heart AND a common goal
90. You can always control 3 things: your mental game, your technical game, and your physical game
91. Mudita: pure joy for the success of those around you without jealousy
92. Get to know other coaches, teams, and your athletic directors
93. Your body language screams.
94. Take lots of photos and videos
95. Don’t be scared to use your voice, no matter your age
96. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough
97. Records are meant to be broken
98. You never know when your last game in your jersey will happen so soak every moment in.
99. When it’s over, it’s okay to be sad.
100. You hold the power to leave a lasting impact forever. You are are representing your University. Do it well.
2. Some people won’t understand your lifestyle and your commitment to your sport
3. Big girl decisions have big girl consequences
4. Let your parents buy you food when they are in town
5. Drink lots of water
6. Tell your friends to come to games! It’s so fun to see them in the stands.
7. Who you associate with reflects upon you
8. Clean your bathroom
9. Do your laundry
10. No one is going to tell you to go to bed or do your homework or get up in the morning. You are going to have to become independent
11. You can’t have chicken Nuggets every meal. Make good choices about how you eat
12. Make lots of mistakes now.
13. Do stuff with your teammates, but make friends outside of your sport (or even narps) too
14. You can be out on the field just as much as the girl next to you or else you wouldn’t have been recruited
15. Your athletic trainer and strength coach are vital resources
16. Be intentional with your actions and have a plan for how you are going to execute them
17. Learn to take in criticism on the field. We aren’t yelling at you to be mean. We are yelling because they want your best self.
18. Every time you step on the field is a chance to prove yourself
19. It’s never as good as you think, but it’s also never as bad
20. When they say 6:30 workouts, they mean 6:15. Early is on time, on time is late, and late is just that…late
21. Don’t be late…ever
22. Play for each other
23. Create relationships with your professors. Soccer isn’t going to last forever, you’re going to need a job someday
24. There are going to be plenty of parties. It’s okay to miss one
25. Intensity will be appreciated by everyone, not looked as “being a try hard”
26. Don’t go buying a bunch of gear…you will get plenty
27. Be nice to your parents even if you lost. They are there to support and love you
28. Your tan lines will not go away so embrace them
29. Don’t let your mistakes define you
30. Your coaches end up finding out everything, so make good choices
31. Keep a journal
32. One game doesn’t make or break your season
33. Stock up on hair ties
34. Help with equipment
35. Always be nice to the staff, no matter their position
36. Keep your locker clean
37. Leave your jersey in a better place than you found it
38. Be tough on your training and tolerant on your performance. Training is an opportunity for you break down what you can get better at. Games are a time to express what you can do. Don't put too much pressure on games.
39. Tell your teammates something nice more often
40. You can be a good teammate and not have to spend 100% of your time off the field with your teammates
41. Don’t run on tile in the locker room in your cleats. You will slip.
42. Take a shower after practice…and if you can’t, at least use deodorant
43. You will be sore
44. Your coach is yelling at you because he cares…When he stops is when you should be concerned
45. Be smart with your money
46. Find a good place to study early on
47. Live by ice baths, recovery pants, and naps
48. The term is student athlete…not athlete student
49. Play for each other.
50. Don’t wait for your senior year to make it happen.
51. Don’t forget why you started playing.
52. It isn’t always fun
53. There can be times for a change
54. Maybe that change is something about you
55. Do not go in with the mindset “If I don’t play, I’ll just transfer”
56. Use your social media for good
57. You shouldn’t have to take photos at community service events for it to count
58. Your character says a lot about you
59. Make an impact on the community
60. Play for something bigger than yourself
70. You are never alone out on the field
71. Being fit isn’t something people just tell you. It allows for your team to succeed.
72. Be positive.
73. Be selfless.
74. Hold others accountable.
75. Hold yourself accountable first.
76. Leadership isn’t always yelling.
77. Different people are motivated differently.
78. Talk to someone when you aren’t okay
79. You are human.
80. You are allowed to feel things. Don’t hold in your emotions
81. You are so much more than an athlete
82. There is NO comparison to the joy college soccer can bring you.
83. The heartbreak it can bring it hard too.
84. Make your moments count.
85. Naps are good.
86. Have your notes and thoughts together for your meetings with coaches
87. Don’t become consumed with what the other team does. Do what you do well.
88. It is very hard to beat a team who has heart
89. It is even harder to beat a team who has heart AND a common goal
90. You can always control 3 things: your mental game, your technical game, and your physical game
91. Mudita: pure joy for the success of those around you without jealousy
92. Get to know other coaches, teams, and your athletic directors
93. Your body language screams.
94. Take lots of photos and videos
95. Don’t be scared to use your voice, no matter your age
96. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough
97. Records are meant to be broken
98. You never know when your last game in your jersey will happen so soak every moment in.
99. When it’s over, it’s okay to be sad.
100. You hold the power to leave a lasting impact forever. You are are representing your University. Do it well.