I have been waiting for this moment since the season started. My heart is pounding against my chest. My mouth is so dry that I feel like a fish out of water. My palms are sweaty in my teammates’ hands as we sit in the dark locker room and sing “Lean on Me” at the top of our lungs. A knock on the door from our coach lets us know that we need to get moving.

As we warm up, I cannot help but watch the crowd fill the stadium. I try not to think about all the eyes watching me or the fact that this game will be broadcasted live on television. Blocking out the loud noises from the crowd, I begin to focus and motivate myself. Every pass needs to be perfect. Every sprint needs to be faster than my opponent. Every tackle needs to be stronger than the other girl. This game will determine whether or not all the time, work, and dedication we have put into this season will be rewarded or not. As the adrenaline begins to kick in, I feel the self-doubt and anxiety leaving my body. The announcer begins to list out the names of our team and the opposing team. While announcing the starters, he calls out my name. I am overcome with a sense of pride and happiness as I think about how far I have come. I am starting in the 2016 Louisiana High School Soccer State Championship on my first year of varsity while at the beginning of the season I was riding the bench.

As I wait for the shrill sound of the ref blowing his whistle, I take a deep breath in. I smell the turf, sweat, and sweet smell of victory that is just ninety minutes away. Out of the corner of my eye, I see two of my teammates doing their pre-game handshake ritual. Suddenly, I have the ball. In games like this, I have to play in the moment and leave it all on the field. Dwelling on any mistake I make or a teammate makes could cause a fatal flaw in our game. I have to support my girls and make my parents proud. Pass after pass, shot after shot, play after play, I push myself and my teammates to play the best we can. However, I can feel the heavy weight of our spirits falling as the opposite team scores the first goal of the game. The encouraging cheers from our student section seem to be dying down and I find myself becoming more anxious and exhausted.

Suddenly, we are back in the game as our teammate ties the score. Our spirits are rising once again and we begin to take back control over the ball. However, our happiness is short-lived as our center defender is taken out of the game after an injury. My coach makes the decision to play Kat, who has not played all season because of a torn ACL. Panic fills every inch of my body and my vision blurs. With seconds left in the game, my teammate is fouled and we are given a free kick. Miraculously, Kat whips the ball across the field and hits the top of the goal post. In a moment of confusion, the goalie and defender of the opposite team hesitate to clear the ball. The moment of hesitation is all Hope needed as she charges to kick the ball in the goal. As the ref blows the whistle to call the game, I jump into Ava’s arms and sob with happiness. I taste my salty tears mixed with sweat as I memorize this moment. I can hear the high-pitched screams of happiness from the crowd as we rush towards them. My cheeks ache from smiling and my heart is racing against my chest. This is the best moment of my life. We are the champions!