As a kid, I couldn’t wait to become older and be able to buy whatever I wanted and drive myself wherever I wanted to go. But my parents would respond with, “Don’t grow up. It’s not fun being an adult,” or “Why rush it? Just enjoy being a kid.” At the time, I would have never thought they were right, and that playing CYC soccer with the same girls from Pre-K would end after eighth grade and I wouldn’t speak to many of them ever again.

When I started playing soccer, I was 4 years old and had no idea what I was doing, but then again, no one else did. We were all new to the game and were there because we wanted to have fun. Little did I know that I would form deep connections with them, creating some of my most cherished memories still to this day.

Our team only played in the fall, so the soccer season was often the only time we saw each other. In first grade, some of the girls joined select teams that took the game a lot more seriously. That is when some of them started missing practices and leaving our games early because “Select was more important.”

When we made it to third grade, CYC offered volleyball, so many of us soccer players joined the volleyball team together. Volleyball only occurred in the fall so we still only saw each other for a short 12 weeks. Throughout the years, some people came and went, but by fifth grade, our team was pretty much set. By this time, we were also comfortable with each other and were a big part of each other’s lives.

Then our team experienced middle school together where the team slowly started to drift apart. Even the girls I saw during the school year at Barnwell, I didn’t talk to as often. But during the season we talked and laughed as much as we could.

When we made it to our eighth grade year we knew it was our last season together. CYC would end. We were all heading off to different high schools. Going into this season, all we wanted to do was win the CYC Championship as we had gotten second place the year before. We had a mission, and we played our hearts out that season.

In the end, we made it to the finals again, and we finished in second place. It was hard for us because we were so close, and we would not get that chance ever again. But the hardest part was that we would not see each other in the fall and play together as a team ever again.

Now, the only time I see them is in a post on Instagram about their summer or a school dance. It’s really hard going from seeing, talking, laughing, and playing with someone for 12 weeks every year to not at all.

If I could go back and tell my younger self anything, it would be: “Listen to your parents. Don’t be in a rush to grow up and just enjoy playing soccer. I know towards the end you may not want to, but do it for the girls, and do it for your future self. You’ll look back and be so grateful for the time you spent with them, wishing you could go back for just 10 more minutes.”