Fowler 1 Alyssa Fowler Ms.

Gardner English 10 Period 2 24 January 2014 Steps to Success Lace up those cleats, its game time! my dad shouted from the car. Rushing to prepare for the big game, I threw all of my soccer gear that was scattered across the garage floor into my bag. I hopped into the car and stopped fidgeting long enough to notice how much the arches of my feet ached from the game I had the day before. The clapping noise that my cleats made against the pavement, as a walked to the field, was all too familiar to me. I hear the rustling of the grass beneath my feet as I step onto the pitch. Soccer is my passion, my dream, and I craved for the game and the competition that it entailed. The team gathered around for a final pep talk before the starting whistle blew. I gazed down at my feet and then scanned around the circle at the other girls cleats. It dawned on me, that as a soccer player, our feet are the most valuable and reliable part of our bodies. We had started out as little children, tripping over our own laces, and stumbling over soccer balls. Then as we grew up we developed control and skill. We progressively became more familiar with the feel of a ball at our feet. From tournaments, to league games, more and more opportunities were presented to us as young athletes. If my left and right foot never learned to agree, then where would I be as a soccer player? I replayed this question over and over in my head. I thought about the quote I had once heard by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Lives of great people remind us we can make our lives sublime and, departing, leave behind footprints in Fowler 2 the sand of time. I had came to the conclusion that all of the opportunities to be granted to me,

are determined from my feet and their capabilities. There I was, well into the second half of the game. Every bone, tendon and ligament in my feet felt strong, like they had been possessed by neverending endurance. Every touch off the ball was sharp, every stride I took was confident, every kick was powerful: I was unstoppable. The center defender swung the ball to the far right side, from there the ball was passed up to the midfield. I bounced back and forth on my toes, anticipating the ball to be passed through to me for a shot on goal. My teammate took a quick glance up, spotted me, and released the ball. She had kicked it up high into the air, so I adjusted my body enough to where I could head the ball. With all my might, I leaped up into the air. I felt the elbow of the opposing player jam into my back. The ball went over my head and the force of her elbow caused my body to thrust forward. We both hit the ground and, Snap! A sharp pain shot up my leg and lingered into my toes. Grasping my ankle, I couldnt help but scream. My ankle felt like a butcher had taken a scimitar to it. My coach and a few teammates held me up to carry me off of the field. What hurts?, What happened?, Can you bend it?, Try to wiggle your toes. I was bombarded with questions and demands, but I was only able to focus on the one question I was asking, When will I be able to play again? After the game, we drove to the nearest emergency room to have to injury examined. I was one step closer to getting my question answered. The aroma that lingered in the hospital peaked my anxiety. A woman in oversized scrubs approached me. A nurse will be right with you, She assured me. However, five minutes went by and time felt like it was stretching longer and longer and those five minutes felt like hours! Finally, I was taken into the X-ray room and was informed that I Fowler 3 had no breaks or tears which was good news! It turned out to be a major sprain and I would

have to be in a boot for three to six weeks. This news was bittersweet to me. Yes, it couldve been worse and it couldve been a break but, three to six weeks without soccer is a major setback considering all of the practices and games I would be missing. The song Dont Know What You Got (Till its Gone) by Cinderella made me realize that I should never take for granted my feet because now that I could only use one, it opened up my eyes to how much I really relied on that part of myself. Now, more than ever, I was driven to stay healthy and quickly recover so I could return to the sport I love. I attended every practice and every game envying all of my teammates from the sidelines until I was ready to return to my spot on the field again. If five long weeks of physical therapy and religious icing was what it was going to take, then I was willing. Gradually, I began to practice and push myself a little harder each session in order to strengthen my ankle that had been trapped in a boot for a while. Utilizing the limited drills I was able to do, was a step in the right direction. Because I was unable to play at all for those five weeks, I had gained a new appreciation for the game as well as myself and my bodys abilities. The opportunities that lay ahead wait for my eager feet to find them.

Fowler 4 Works Cited

"Feet (Human Anatomy): Bones, Tendons, Ligaments, and More." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2014. <http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/picture-of-the-feet>.

Danvers, Charles, and Carl Sigman. ""Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)" Lyrics." CINDERELLA LYRICS. Chappell & Co. Inc., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. <http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/cinderella/dontknowwhatyougottillitsgone.html>.

Kiam, Omar M. "Omar M. Kiam." Omar M Kiam. Word Press, 28 Oct. 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. <http://omarkiam.wordpress.com/2012/10/28/each-of-us-can-leave-behind-footprints-inthe-sand-of-time/>.