In the corner of my laundry room lies a beaten up pair of blue Adidas cleats. After every practice and game as I place my new purple cleats next to them, I am reminded of their unimportance, because they are simply a pair of shoes. I could throw away the pair of these old cleats and rather admire my newer pair, but I can’t. I’m comforted by the dirt along their sides and the torn Adidas logo. I’m comforted by knowing that cleats don’t make a player. Soccer has always been a strong influence in my life, from staying up late to watch the Barca game with my abuelo to joining my very first team in kindergarten. When I would watch games, I recall admiring the colorfulness and coordination of teams uniforms and the brand new models of cleats they paired with it. I also recall asking my abuelo for one of the pairs I saw because every time I asked my mom I was reminded that my cleats were “perfectly fine;” but, to my surprise I received the same …show more content…
I was usually positioned as a defender on the field, but today my coach had put me as striker. I was nervous at first, but by the end of the first half, I had scored a goal. The second half was even better for my team, we had managed to beat the other team 3-0. After the game, I was beaming with joy and pride; a big smile hung on my face for the rest of the day. Looking at my cleats, I saw them as luck rather than a muddy, fading, and worn down. Now, when I look at my hideous Adidas cleats, I feel fulfilled. They remind me to trust myself as a player, to rely on my determination, and to be sure of my commitment. Looking back at how I used to admire the uniforms and cleats of the professional players, I find it ridiculous; each individual player is not there for their new gear but rather the skills they obtain. The shabby appearance of my cleats are from late night practices, scorching hot games, and sprinting in muddy fields; my cleats are a reminder of my hard