One of those moments happened to my team this past weekend. Previously being ranked 6th by those in the conference, we knew we were in a good position in first place. We had joked about being in the top seed in our conference and how we had come so far from previous years. Nothing actually compared to the moment though, when number one became such a reality.
We came out and beat Eastern New Mexico University in our last regular season game. We knew that if we won we would have a chance at a co-championship because of the way the standings were. On our ride home, we were constantly checking the score of the other game hoping that one school beat the other we were competing with. 20 minutes left, 10 minutes, overtime. It was as if time stood still. “Oh my gosh,” was all most of us needed to hear to know that the team we needed to lose had lost for us to become LSC regular season champions.
This was the moment that I will remember as will most of my team. Pulling over in the gas station in Clovis, New Mexico were 22 girls jumping up and down celebrating a victory we had only talked about all season. The smiles that were on our faces can’t be forgotten.
Not a lot of people realize what goes into sports. The time put into making yourself better from someone who has never stepped on the field to someone who plays 90 minutes of every game. The hard work, the effort, the late nights, two-a-day practices and many moments that make each season worth it. This year we knew what we needed was complete confidence in every team member and our abilities.
We have yelled at each other, cried, laughed, joked and played with heart, strength and desire to lead up to the moment that we can say we did what no one really thought we could do. For most of the seniors, we’ve had multiple surgeries and have put every ounce of what we have into this sport. This moment made all of that pain worth it.
This next week decides our real fate. Each of the seniors could be walking away from any given game, with that being our last. The reality of that is shockingly urgent. The moments leading up to the conference tournament and the moments during are something I know we can never have back. God has put each one of these players, coaches, trainers and teammates in my life to define these moments that make such great memories. These next moments are going to be moments that will be hard fought. As to what will be our next moment? I’m not sure. But I know with a little heart, strength, desire and the Glory of God we can help shape our own moments in soccer and in life.
