Battling the sweltering heat whilst kicking a soccer ball is nothing I am unfamiliar with but, experiencing a team culture that is inviting is. Over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of playing with the Emery/Weiner Varsity Girls Soccer team. Consisting of 17 girls, ranging from beginner to seasoned players, the girls’ soccer team fosters a competitive, loving environment where anyone can thrive and better themselves. Each player, including myself, improved individually over the duration of the season through the consistent training led by Coach Heather Williams and the relentless support given by senior captains Guya Babila, Frances Sherman, and Sophia Frankel.
My whole life, I have played for a club soccer team, so when I finally entered the Emery soccer community, the atmosphere was different than anything I had ever experienced before. In a club soccer environment, everything is cutthroat. The idea of recruitment constantly breathes down each of the player’s necks, making it hard to form bonds with your teammates. However, this is not the case for Emery. Soccer no longer became a chore but rather something I enjoyed. But, not only were these girls loving, they were also hardworking. Day in and day out, the girls trained their hearts out during our after- and before-school practices, even taking it as far as doing some weekend training sessions, which led us to numerous victories and, eventually, a successful playoff run.
Entering the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) conference playoffs with the girls for our first in San Antonio against the Texas Military Institute (TMI) brought an immense amount of energy. Nervousness and excitement radiated from each individual, all with the same goal of progressing further into the tournament. Stepping off the bus and onto the pitch of TMI, I realized that the team resembled one of a club. Looking around, I saw each girl trying to figure out which way the wind was blowing in hopes of finding an advantage, going over set plays, and sizing up our competitors. That is also when I knew we would win that game, which we did, 2-1.
Unfortunately, we did not win in the next round of playoffs–a horrible call led to a penalty kick, but losing felt less detrimental because I knew I had a newfound family. When I come together with the Varsity soccer team, I feel at home; laughter from sharing stories fills my ears and smiles after victorious battles mark our faces. I am devastated that this season came to a close because these girls are like my family, people I can trust with anything and who all share a commonality of loving soccer.
