I’ll never forgot when I scored my first goal as a little girl on my first soccer team. My team was mostly boys, and all of them were much taller than me. I despaired over my abilities in the game. Most days, I wanted to burst into tears, but I could always hear my father and brother cheering and screaming in the distance, “Don’t give up.”

I didn’t give up! I would fall almost every time I tried to kick the ball. It would even be lucky if I hit it at all. But, I would get back up and try again and again and again to kick the ball as far as my short feet would allow.

Once, towards the end of a game, I watched the ball coming at me, getting closer and closer. I ran towards the ball, closed my eyes and kicked it as hard as I could. I don’t know why I closed my eyes. All I know is it worked.
“Goal!, Goal!!, GOAL!!!” I had made the final goal of the game, my first ever! The whole team and my entire family was so proud of me, but most importantly, I was very proud of myself.