“Pride is still aiming at the best houses: Men would be angels, angels would would be gods. Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell; aspiring to be angels men rebel.” - Alexander Pope. Shays’ Rebellion was a protest against the government for charging people with so little money huge taxes and was led by Daniel Shays. The Shays’ Rebellion occurred in Massachusetts in January of 1787.
This uncertainty stays with me while I take the sideline and the starters take the field. With each growing second I get more nervous and nervous, I’m starting to dread the moment I step on the field. Players begin to step off the field being subbed out by their fellow teammates. I'm now the first one in line as a see a tired soul jog off the field. Coach slaps my back and pushes me onto the turf.
Similarly, after my neck injury in volleyball, I had felt the same way as Cisneros, as I did not know how I was supposed to spin “gold” out of not being able to play for the season. What I failed to realize was that behind this so-called failure was joining the indoor track team, coaching middle school volleyball, and getting promoted to teach computer classes at the elderly home I volunteer at. So many new opportunities had opened up for me after what I thought was the end of the world, and I have established so many new connections and gained so many experiences from these opportunities. Now,
I realized that hard practice and confidence would have improved my athletic abilities. I failed to see myself as an individual that could continue with a task - despite the difficulties. But I learned to thrive from my weaknesses. Not only did quitting sports allow for me to focus on my passions, but it taught me to not let obstacles and frustration hinder those passions. Doing what makes me happy is my ultimate goal, even if that means not playing sports - just like everyone
Keep in mind I finished out high school football, but I stopped liking it years ago. I think that is because during football I have built friendships and connections that will last a lifetime. I remember the first time I played football. It was thanksgiving at my dad's house in Nebraska.
Often times, seemingly small decisions can have a lasting impact in a person’s life. When I was at the measly age of fourteen I made a decision for myself that affected who I was throughout my high school career. Growing up as a boy in the south, the importance of playing organized sports becomes apparent at a young age, which made my decision to no longer play lacrosse a difficult decision to make. From the third grade to the eighth grade I played lacrosse. However, I always kind of felt like I was playing because I was supposed to, not because I wanted to.
In August 2013 I had a shot to be great. I was a sophomore on the Junior Varsity football team at my high school. This scrimmage was different than my past scrimmages, I was starting for the first time since 8th grade. I spent countless hours in the weight room preparing my body this season. As soon as the scrimmage started, I knew my work was going to pay off.
Broken The hot, humid, winter air flowed through my nostrils. The sweet smell and feel of Louisiana weather overwhelmed me as I stepped out of our big suburban. I let the heat swarm over me and just wondered how the weather could be so nice in mid-December. My family and I had taken a car trip down to Louisiana for Christmas and I was already loving everything about it.
As a little boy I had big dreams of playing football. When I was walking in the halls of the intermediate and middle school and saw the high school football players with their jerseys on, they were like super stars. I looked up to them because I wanted to be like them. The high school football players were popular, they were happy, and they were important to the school. Going to the football games on Friday nights was the highlight of my week.
Adrenaline pulsing through my body and anxiety filling up in my stomach, I quickly throw on my football gear and head out to the practice field. It’s a nice hot day in Ocala, Florida, with the sun beating down on our necks, we stand side by side in line waiting to be picked to play second, third, or fourth string in a play. Waiting in anticipation, each of us grinding our teeth, watching first string pure athletes colliding against each other like gladiators to have possession of a ball made at one-time of “pig’s skin”. To some people, the game of American football makes no sense, whether it’s the idea of trying to protect a ball or running and passing it to make a goal for your team. People like this, see the concept of football and understand why millions of people love it; but to them the sport is pointless and causes way too many casualties.
Fast forward to the Fall of 2014, and I am in my 3rd yr in football, and I was killing it. I was starting cornerback, andwe won a championship. And I just went to Tennessee for a football tournament with kids that were a grade above me. Everything was going so well for me, but the one thing I was missing was a touchdown.
My life has been dominated by serious injuries, taking me out of play for months at a time. Not one year ago I was stuck in a cast that covered my whole leg, causing me to miss out on all the fun of winter. Naturally, I became very upset when a minor injury made me miss out on my biggest sports opportunity of my life. I have had this injury multiple times in the past, and this game was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. I was playing a game with my select team, Panathinaikos FC, and we were down 2-1 in the quarter final match of the spring invitational tournament.
Soccer was not just a game to me, it was my first addiction. From the moment a ball was put in front of me I fell in love with the beautiful game but over time it slowly started to kill me. January 20, 2016 is the day my life ended, my sick twisted excuse of a life. I wasn’t really living, I was trapped in this numb fog for over three years and I didn’t realize how much it was destroying me. I couldn’t even recognize myself in the mirror.
The first time I had a serious injury On April 2nd, 2016 I was on my way to a football 7 on 7 matchup. As I was on my way I was excited to be playing and I was mentally getting ready on what I was gonna do and that I'm gonna show out. Once we arrived to wood grove I'm only way to pickup our helmets and our jerseys and after we all get together and start heading up to the field to warm up.
The first time on a football field and i was very hyped about it cause i got to play and the coach put me as starter because i was the biggest one on the field. The very first play we got sacked but are left lineman didn't stop the ball they got pushed over and we got sacked. The ball was on the 25 yard line and we were trying to get to the fifteen yard line to get the first down and we were short 10 yards but we could still get cause if we work hard you play hard.
