I’d been in the new country a little over four years. I was newly married. I’d recently graduated from college. Even more recently, I’d quit my entry-level job in a medical research laboratory in a prestigious university with nice bosses to move to a new town in a new state – unemployed and not knowing anyone in town besides my husband.
I wanted to work, but work was hard to find. The majority of jobs in the area I was living in required U.S. citizenship, which I didn’t have at the time. I would have to wait another year to be eligible for citizenship, but by moving to another state, that set me back another year. Thus I would not be eligible for citizenship for another two years.
I looked for work in the want ads of the daily newspaper. I eventually found a job working in a local hospital, assisting a radiologist in a laboratory setting. But not right away. I found something else first. One day I saw a want ad for women’s soccer. The ad was from the coach of a local women’s soccer team in need of more players.
Where I grew up, sports were not promoted, especially not for girls. That is not to say there were no sports for women, but the opportunities were limited. Within my family environment, opportunities were even more limited. I grew up with no extracurricular activities. Time not in school was spent helping my mother in her bookstore, and doing housework and homework. That is not to say education was not important. It was important enough that I got to be enrolled in extra mathematics and foreign language classes outside of my regular high school. But physical activities and anything outside of “core” subjects, such as music or arts, were not encouraged, or even were prohibited. We were scolded for singing, even though our bookstore sold lyric sheets. Singing did not bring honor to the family, as an A+ report card would.
So I’d never played sports in my life, even though I grew up craving to learn how to swim or how to play tennis. I’d never known soccer. I had no idea what it meant or what it involved. I am lucky that I’m married to an open-minded man who encourages me to try new things and who doesn’t think women should be limited in their dreams and endeavors. He thinks those who exclude women in anything limit themselves to only half of the population of mankind. He told me that I should try soccer because I had nothing to lose.
I called the number on the want ad. The team accepted me. Bless them. The team had a mixture of younger and older players. We had a mother-and-daughter pair. I played with the team for two seasons. I learned a lot, even though I could not master the art of heading the ball. I even had an admirer in a teammate. She played offense and she told me I always looked so cool and calm in my defense. I had the time of my life. I didn’t want to quit.
But life changed. My husband and I were to move back to the state where we were married to go back to school, to be near my parents. We were about to have our first child at the same time. I insisted on playing while being pregnant, but it was clear I wasn’t as speedy. I had to leave the team. I was sad. But being a new mother while attending graduate school kept me busy.
I had two more children. Being a mother while working outside of the home kept me away from playing soccer myself, but I never stopped loving the sport. I enrolled all my three children in soccer. I did not just give them soccer. They also participated in other activities such as swimming, skating, ballet, T-ball, gymnastics, scouting, music, and arts.
When I felt I needed to be home more to be with the children, I cut my work schedule from full time to part time, and eventually I stayed home full time. I went back to soccer myself, while my children were still playing the same sport. Sixteen years after leaving soccer behind, I joined a women’s league. I played with Fury at first. We had a coach. He also coached Classics. He introduced me to the latter in the second year of my playing, and that’s when I became a Classics player. I continued to play with both Fury and Classics for many years. I still play with Classics, although the team’s roster has changed over the years. Classics also has moved up an age group.
Being a Classics player opened up new horizons. I started to play indoors and go to tournaments with other Classics players. My first tournament was in Puerto Vallarta. I ended up going there three times. But more than soccer, Classics gave me a camaraderie I still treasure today. Some of these women were instrumental in forming the league. Most of them did not grow up playing soccer. They were soccer moms who formed teams to be able to play soccer themselves. They traveled to compete in tournaments and have brought home medals. They went back a long way together and formed a tight-knit group of friends. They embraced me and included me in their circle.
I love soccer. I am grateful that I’ve found soccer. I am grateful for the team that took me in when I was uncertain in a new town. I can’t imagine another sport that would give me so much fun and aerobic exercise at the same time. Soccer has given me an outlet and helped me relieve tension and cope with life difficulties when I needed it. I am glad to be part of the Classics story, the story of strong women who make things happen and who know how to have fun. They are an inspiration.
I wanted to work, but work was hard to find. The majority of jobs in the area I was living in required U.S. citizenship, which I didn’t have at the time. I would have to wait another year to be eligible for citizenship, but by moving to another state, that set me back another year. Thus I would not be eligible for citizenship for another two years.
I looked for work in the want ads of the daily newspaper. I eventually found a job working in a local hospital, assisting a radiologist in a laboratory setting. But not right away. I found something else first. One day I saw a want ad for women’s soccer. The ad was from the coach of a local women’s soccer team in need of more players.
Where I grew up, sports were not promoted, especially not for girls. That is not to say there were no sports for women, but the opportunities were limited. Within my family environment, opportunities were even more limited. I grew up with no extracurricular activities. Time not in school was spent helping my mother in her bookstore, and doing housework and homework. That is not to say education was not important. It was important enough that I got to be enrolled in extra mathematics and foreign language classes outside of my regular high school. But physical activities and anything outside of “core” subjects, such as music or arts, were not encouraged, or even were prohibited. We were scolded for singing, even though our bookstore sold lyric sheets. Singing did not bring honor to the family, as an A+ report card would.
So I’d never played sports in my life, even though I grew up craving to learn how to swim or how to play tennis. I’d never known soccer. I had no idea what it meant or what it involved. I am lucky that I’m married to an open-minded man who encourages me to try new things and who doesn’t think women should be limited in their dreams and endeavors. He thinks those who exclude women in anything limit themselves to only half of the population of mankind. He told me that I should try soccer because I had nothing to lose.
I called the number on the want ad. The team accepted me. Bless them. The team had a mixture of younger and older players. We had a mother-and-daughter pair. I played with the team for two seasons. I learned a lot, even though I could not master the art of heading the ball. I even had an admirer in a teammate. She played offense and she told me I always looked so cool and calm in my defense. I had the time of my life. I didn’t want to quit.
But life changed. My husband and I were to move back to the state where we were married to go back to school, to be near my parents. We were about to have our first child at the same time. I insisted on playing while being pregnant, but it was clear I wasn’t as speedy. I had to leave the team. I was sad. But being a new mother while attending graduate school kept me busy.
I had two more children. Being a mother while working outside of the home kept me away from playing soccer myself, but I never stopped loving the sport. I enrolled all my three children in soccer. I did not just give them soccer. They also participated in other activities such as swimming, skating, ballet, T-ball, gymnastics, scouting, music, and arts.
When I felt I needed to be home more to be with the children, I cut my work schedule from full time to part time, and eventually I stayed home full time. I went back to soccer myself, while my children were still playing the same sport. Sixteen years after leaving soccer behind, I joined a women’s league. I played with Fury at first. We had a coach. He also coached Classics. He introduced me to the latter in the second year of my playing, and that’s when I became a Classics player. I continued to play with both Fury and Classics for many years. I still play with Classics, although the team’s roster has changed over the years. Classics also has moved up an age group.
Being a Classics player opened up new horizons. I started to play indoors and go to tournaments with other Classics players. My first tournament was in Puerto Vallarta. I ended up going there three times. But more than soccer, Classics gave me a camaraderie I still treasure today. Some of these women were instrumental in forming the league. Most of them did not grow up playing soccer. They were soccer moms who formed teams to be able to play soccer themselves. They traveled to compete in tournaments and have brought home medals. They went back a long way together and formed a tight-knit group of friends. They embraced me and included me in their circle.
I love soccer. I am grateful that I’ve found soccer. I am grateful for the team that took me in when I was uncertain in a new town. I can’t imagine another sport that would give me so much fun and aerobic exercise at the same time. Soccer has given me an outlet and helped me relieve tension and cope with life difficulties when I needed it. I am glad to be part of the Classics story, the story of strong women who make things happen and who know how to have fun. They are an inspiration.
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