Growing up, I always thought that everyone should have the ability to partake in sport regardless of income, nationality, and physical and/or mental disabilities. Sports, not only provide an excellent form of exercise, but also teach discipline, teamwork, and communication. I have learned many life lessons and have gained many valuable skills from my experiences playing soccer. I continue to use them, day in and day out, as I strive to be the best version of myself.
As a child, I was fortunate enough to be blessed with good health and that my family had a steady income that could support my personal sport endeavors. It wasn't until I became a little older until I was able to realize that other children weren't as fortunate. For example, some of my teammates couldn't afford annual soccer fees so our soccer club had to withdraw money from their savings account to help these families.
This was surprising to me, and my mother noticed. She began to tell me about the many children in developing countries, especially those in Africa, that could not afford equipment and about children with mental and/or physical disabilities playing
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In this position, I was able to observe excitement and happiness on my players faces. More importantly, I was able to personally observe the daily struggles including income, personal time, and familial commitments, that these families have to go through. This is why I chose to advocate to get citizens of the community to donate to our organization so that our volunteers could organize fun events such as barbecues, tournaments, and trips. Furthermore, I would always let my friends and family know about how important this organization is for the children and I would try to influence them to donate or to also become coaches because many sports were lacking in volunteer