Lessons from the Pitch
What Soccer Has Taught Our Sons
My 15.5-year old son has been playing soccer for a local club for the past 7 years. As he gets closer to finishing high school (where does the time go?) I want to capture everything he has learned from the sport and being part of a community that he loves and wants to continue to be involved in. As he starts applying for summer jobs and volunteer opportunities, this is the perfect time to update his resume.
I’ve seen my son grow in so many ways over the years, from a novice goalkeeper who cried after every game he lost (which for many years, was every game) to a skilled goalkeeper who leads his team from the back, who bounces back quickly from a goal or loss to play strong for the next shot or game, who practices everyday to be the best version of himself, and someone who is calm under pressure. Not only do these skills help him be a great goalkeeper for his team (who is now No. 2 in the league), but they help him in his life - at school, in social situations, and when communicating with others, to name a few. No doubt, these skills will also help him when is an adult engaging in the world more independently than now. Leadership, resilience, perseverance, positive mindset - these are all transferable skills that he can include on his resume, speak about in a job interview, and write about in college and scholarship application essays.
As a mother reflecting on my son’s growth in a community that our whole family is a big part of (Saturdays are our days to spend together watching his game - rain, shine, wind, or flurries), I wanted to share this with the other mothers on the team. So we gathered in the common room of my building to talk about what our sons have learned from soccer beyond the game. What transpired in our conversation was how blessed we all felt knowing that our sons are part of a positive community with teammates that have each other's back, coaches that really care about our sons, and families that support the boys - win or lose.
Here are some of the things the mothers said as we shared our favourite moments of the soccer season and how we’ve seen our sons grow:
For one boy, soccer is an anchor during times of struggles in other aspects of his life and has helped him with his self-confidence.
Another mother said that being involved in soccer (and sports, in general) has taught her son about so many things in life - discipline, cooperation, dealing with challenging situations, and friendship.
Over time, another has been able to manage his school work with his busy soccer schedule, by completing his school work at school - this way the family can have dinner together before practice and the boy can relax after practice and go to bed on time.
One mother talked about how her son has now found something he is really passionate about and is focusing on how he can become a better player and hopefully, continue playing competitively as he gets older.
Many of the mothers have witnessed their sons evolve from attributing missed goals or losses to their teammates, to introspectively seeking ways to improve themselves.
When speaking about her son’s connection to his teammates, one mother referred to them as his brothers and that this group of boys feels like a family.
During our discussion about the skills our sons are acquiring within this close-knit team, parallels to real-world applications became evident. One mother noted instances of blame being placed on others in her workplace when deadlines were not met, while another shared an anecdote about her son's frustration during a group project in one of his classes, where none of the other group members were contributing. I mentioned that if the team were assigned a group project, they'd handle it with ease, capitalizing on each member's strengths and strategizing the best ways to contribute to the project.
There was an overwhelming sense that we need to get together more often to share these stories and bond as a community that we all feel very privileged to be a part of. I am looking forward to the next get together.
Based on our conversation and my reflections,, this is how I see capturing my son’s soccer journey so far on his resume:
Profile section
Passionate athlete who leads and inspires his soccer team to win games, work as
a team, and come back strong from losses; awarded Player of the Match on many occasions.
Within the resume
Demonstrate leadership skills by communicating effectively with teammates to organize defensive strategies and maintain a strong defensive line.
Exhibit resilience in overcoming setbacks and bouncing back from challenging situations, maintaining focus and determination during both wins and losses.
Thrive under pressure during high-stakes matches, showcasing the ability to remain calm and composed while making split-second decisions to prevent goals.
Utilize quick decision-making abilities to assess rapidly changing game situations, strategically positioning oneself and reacting swiftly to incoming shots to make crucial saves.
Guided the team to victory in a local tournament, clinching the title in a thrilling penalty shootout.
My Whatsapp filled with messages of gratitude from the moms after the session…here are some of them:
“Still basking in the warmth from today’s workshop. Thanks, Tasneem for bringing us together and providing us the opportunity to share and bond.” (Annie)
“Thanks so much for a wonderful afternoon and helping us discover our sons' soccer journey from a different perspective.” (Sandi)
