Lilly

It’s finally over.

It’s hard to believe it’s only been a matter of months. It seems like I’ve spent years with these girls: so many practices, so many games. It seems like it was ages ago that I was that timid girl who, at the beginning of the season, allowed herself to be shunted into a position that she had never played before on the soccer field. And now I know it’s probably the best thing that could have happened to me.

I was sidelined over the weekend with a nagging hip injury. It was our last tournament, our last few hours on the field together, and I hated every second I spent on the bench. I played a few minutes total, subbing in for a teammate who lost a contact lens. I spent most of that short time directing my fellow defenders, passing work on to them rather than try to limp after the ball myself.

At one point we had an opportunity for a free kick, an uncontested play that could send the ball all the way up to our forwards.

“You want this one?” I asked a teammate. She shook her head fiercely and told me to take it myself. I felt the weight of her trust in me, injured or no. Even when I wasn’t in my best form, my team was willing to rely on me.

We lost the match, but we played well and we knew it. It didn’t feel like a crushing defeat. We kept our heads up just like we have all season long.

Girls, if you’re reading this, you’re my squad. Thank you for a spectacular first year of club soccer. I miss you already. See y’all at indoor. ♦