Oct 12, 2015 3 min read

It took me over 12 years to have a pretty decent understanding of the rules and strategies of soccer. That is how long my eldest daughter has been playing the game. She began at the pee-wee league in our neighborhood, following the herd of kids from both teams all just wanting to kick the ball, regardless of the direction they were supposed to make it go.

A few short years later, she represented her middle school team and began playing cup soccer, as well. This helped her far more than it did me, who still had to ask the other, wiser parents why such and such happened.

We hit high school and continued with cup, and I finally understood many of the rules. Some (like handballs and offsides) seem to be a bit more arbitrary than others, however, I can generally see what the referees are trying to call. And yet, as it all comes to a close – my daughter’s senior night was Monday evening – these girls are continuing to teach me.

You see, this year, only 15 girls were rostered on our team. One of those girls was injured in the preseason and had to sit out the entire year. A second girl was injured in our first weekend and has also missed the full season. They both attend every game to cheer on the remaining baker’s dozen.

The girls who suit up to take the field each game aren’t the picture of health, either. We have a girl playing with a brace to protect a dislocated shoulder, another with a broken hand, a third suffering from terrible shin splints, and others are post-concussion, have bone bruises, back pain and sporadic vomiting.

Sure, they have all been cleared to play, but keep in mind there are only two girls to substitute in when someone needs a break. The weeks that girls’ injuries were fresh, there weren’t even two subs. I’ve seen us play games fielding only 10 players.

This is the part where I would love to tell you that we are on schedule to win our section, but we aren’t. We have managed to win three games and tie two more, I think. But even in our losses, these girls have shown that they are winners. No game has been lost by more than two goals. At no point have these girls given up. They haven’t conceded any loss until the final buzzer sounds, and they certainly haven’t made it easy for any team to claim victory.

So, girls, I know there won’t be any banners flying in the gym for your season.

There is no award given for heart.

Not many looking at the win-loss record may even think it matters, but I want you to know that it does. You have taught us all a lesson in perseverance, endurance and drive. You have left it all on the field every game, and we parents couldn’t be prouder.

And though there is no official award for what you have gone through, you are champions in our eyes.

Laura Zoeller can be reached at zoeller5@verizon.net.