portfolio 1 - final draft

8/8/2019 Portfolio 1 - Final Draft

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Vicente 1

Andre Vicente

Professor Iraj Omidvar

English 1101

October 5th, 2010

The Event That Changed My Life

I woke up to the fresh aroma of homemade buttermilk pancakes, eggs, and sausage - a

champion¶s breakfast, only made by my mother on special occasions. Surely this breakfast meant

something important was going to happen today. I¶ve never considered myself a morning person,

so I couldn¶t quite get my mind running well enough to remember what important event was

supposed take place. I made my way downstairs, looking forward to the endless possibilities.

Still dressed in pajamas I decided to sit and eat with my family at the table. They reminded me I

had an important soccer game that afternoon! Now I realized what that breakfast was for. This

particular soccer game was an important one because it was against our arch rivals, who we had

been playing against for 3 years. My parents had been looking forward to this match more than I

had. It was going to be more thrilling than most other games we had played. We finished

breakfast, so I put on my soccer uniform. I grabbed my bag and then jumped in the car as we

headed towards the soccer fields.

Now I was starting to get nervous. I thought about how I had to worry about performing

to the best of my ability without messing up on the field. I looked out the window as a car flew

by at high speed. Looking out the window always made my mind wander as a child, but I had to

get my mind straight and focus on the game. The key to winning any soccer game is teamwork. I

still use this strategy when I play other sports such as tennis or cross country. At the time, I could



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not focus on my strategy because either my parents were distracting me by talking about other

upcoming events, or I was just being childish and looking out the window in a daze. Little did I

know what the future held, and what valuable lessons I would take from this game.

At the time, I was 13 and considered myself a half child or a ³wannabe´ adult. The name

of my soccer team was ³The Penguins´. I found out that they named it that because they thought

it would be funny to choose such a clumsy animal for other teams to lose to. The coaches were

named Coach Gary, Coach Pat, and Coach Murdhad. Luckily, my dad was a helper because I

wasn¶t that great a soccer player. I usually sat on the bench when the game began, and would

play 15 minutes of a 45 minute half. Even though I was considered a ³benchwarmer,´ I did not

let that get me down. My supporters cheered me on each time I took the field. The main reason I

played soccer was because my dad had played, and coached my team when I was younger.

Another reason was because my parents wanted me to be physically active, and believed that

soccer was the sport for me.

My team consisted of 17 players, all of whom were very friendly to one another. The

captains of the team were named Addison, Delin, and Parhum. They were the top players on the

team. They were strong, fast, smart, and were always able to lead the team to victory. My close

friends on the team were named Drew, Danny, and Matthew. These guys were also valuable

players, and were always fun. Coach Murdhad, the head coach of the team, played and taught

soccer all of his life. He is Parhum¶s father, and treats everyone like a son. That really made the

team feel united.

The game was on a Saturday morning in spring, but the breeze made the temperature feel

a lot cooler than it actually was. The game was about to start, so the team began warming up and

getting ready for the big showdown. The coaches gave their usual motivational speeches, but this



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time they added an extra reason for us to win: we would become the champions of the U-16

division. This was a huge burden on our shoulders. We had to win ± for our parents, our coaches,

our friends, and for ourselves. As the game commenced, I was put on the bench as usual.

Nobody expected a lot out of me in this game, not even myself. With fifteen minutes left in the

first half, the score was still 0-0. Coach Murdhad called me up and said to me, ³Listen son, I

want you to give your best on the field. Give 100% and don¶t be scared.´

With this in mind, I walked fearlessly toward the center line where sub-ins wait to get

their playing time. I replaced the best forward on the team, Danny Argent. I felt happy, and yet

frightened at the same time. The expectation was for me to perform just as well as the best

shooter on the team. The ball shot up in the air, and I ran towards it with ferocity, focusing on the

win. The team and I slowly advanced toward our opponent¶s side of the field. I had the

opportunity to score a goal, but the whistle was blown for half-time just before I was able to kick

the ball.

During half-time, Coach Gary gave a motivational speech on what to think about when

we are confronted by our enemies. I tried to focus on the spirit of the team, but I was too

distracted by my own disappointment in my failure to score a goal. The second half began and I

started out on the bench. This time, however, the coaches decided to put me in with 30 minutes

left in the second-half. I took this opportunity to regain my composure, and try to redeem myself.

I walked nervously onto the field, not knowing what would happen. One of the defenders on my

team kicked the ball high in the air for a breakaway opportunity. I ended up playing the striker

position again, so I knew that this was my time to shine. The only thing I was thinking about was

everyone cheering my name and honoring my team while I sprinted steadily toward the goal.



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whistle was not blown when I ran into the keeper. If the keeper is ever pushed while the ball in

his possession, it is an automatic red card. The offender would be disqualified from the game. I

had clearly tackled the keeper and injured myself, but no foul was called. Maybe the referee had

seen my courageous charge at the keeper and thought that this deed was worth some honor, since

it was rarely done. The key lesson I took from the game was to never give up and always put

your heart and soul into everything you do.

The whistle was blown, the game was over and we had won with the final score of 1-0.

Everyone was happy for the team¶s success. We received special trophies and had a special

dinner for our victory. The experiences that I take from this event are still used on a daily basis.

The lessons that I learned from this day are extremely important in my life, and I encourage

everyone to have the same motives as me.

portfolio 1 - final draft

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