Dribbling down the field, with my feet clamping down on the long blades of grass, I pick my head up to see who is around me. “Manda! Cross it,” I hear despite the screams of the parents and fans in the bleachers. Scissor around the ball, defender steps in, and I have a clear shot to the corner. The subtle footsteps from the girl behind me are approaching. Before she can catch up to me, I chip the ball to the eighteen-box where my teammate is there for the header.
Gooooooooooal!

Although most people think that good soccer players only require the physical characteristics of skill, speed, and endurance, there are also many psychological qualities that are equally necessary. The qualities that make me successful on the soccer field also make me successful in the classroom.

Webster’s dictionary defines dedication as “devoting or setting aside for a particular purpose” or “self-sacrificing devotion.” Dedication and commitment go hand in hand. While soccer requires commitment, showing up to every practice and every game, even if I would rather sleep in or hang out with my friends, dedication is shown through working out on my own. Whether it’s running around the neighborhood or doing crutches during TV commercials, I do what I can to stay in shape. In school, I have to continue to study and do my homework even if that means sacrificing an extra hour or two of sleep. It has been said that anything worth doing is worth doing well. In order to be a real soccer player, not a weekend athlete, you have to believe that to be so.

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