Overcoming My Shyness

During the summer break, I would rather be reading books in the library instead of going outside and playing sports. I am naturally an introverted person, who is more intellectual than athletic. My shyness normally keeps me in my comfort zone, allowing me to avoid talking and interacting with kids my own age. However, that all changed three years ago when my father signed me up to play soccer.

My father had wanted me to get out and play sports for the summer. After searching for a while online, he found a local soccer club that played in the field near where I lived. I would have preferred he did not sign me up, as it was against my wishes. I felt extremely annoyed at the fact that my planned peace and quiet was ruined. My father’s constant attempts to make me take part in extra curriculars that required physical exertion were very irritating. I would have rather stayed at home to read my comic books and detective novels.

When I first started playing, I did not like it at all. It was hard for me due to my physical unfitness, as well as my self-imposed mental block where I would not interact with my fellow players.

I was afraid of messing up, and I worried too much about what my peers thought of me and my skills. But after playing a few games, I warmed up to coming to the field to play every week. I started to actually enjoy soccer. 

I played as a defender, where I did not have to run as much as the attackers. I would never go past midfield. Despite all that, I had the job of stopping the opponents from getting near the goal, stealing the ball from them, and passing the ball the to my teammates up ahead of me. This made me feel proud of myself and gave me a sense of accomplishment in knowing I did something useful in the game. Considering all the aspects of the game, the mental planning of what plays to pull off, and the physical exertion needed to execute them is what made the experience memorable. 

The shift in my attitude towards soccer also happened due to my father’s counsel on being more open-minded. My father would often tell me anecdotes of when he played soccer with his friends when he was younger to serve as inspirations. Early on, I was adamant about not listening to my father’s advice or critiques. The reason being when I first came to Canada at 2 years old, I was shocked by the amount of unknown people around me, for in India, I only interacted with my immediate family. This made me apprehensive to interact with groups of new people. Though later, I became more open to listening to my father and we bonded over the experience. When I implemented his advice in the game, it helped me improve my skills. I became more accepting of suggestions, and the journey I took to improve made me have more fun.

Playing an organized team sport for 4 months not only helped me get into shape and increased my stamina, but it also expanded my social interaction skills.

Spending time with kids my own age brought me out of my shell, and it made me less timid. I learned the value of teamwork and improved my communication skills by strategizing with my teammates about game tactics. Because of this, I developed a more outgoing personality. In fact, I enjoyed the experience so much, I signed up for another season again in two summers (as I took a break in between the two years to visit my grandparents abroad).

Soccer pushed me overcome my introverted nature and helped me make friends easier. It changed my mentality about not wanting to socialise and made me become more open and confident about speaking with others. Now, I am less shy when talking to my classmates at school, and I feel more confident asking them if I could join their games on the field during lunch time. The teamwork skills I learned also benefited me outside of soccer and sport. For example, during group projects and activities during class. Also, I feel more comfortable and relaxed at gatherings with friends or family, or at the community centre. In addition, I benefitted from the physical activity and became much more in shape and healthier. This sport enabled me grow as a person and made me who I am today.