Soccer

The Beginning

Soccer was my first sport. In Korea, it’s everywhere — every park, every schoolyard, every break between classes. I started kicking a ball before I knew what a “position” was. It was just fun. Eventually, I found my position: goalkeeper.

Why Goalkeeper?

Most kids want to score goals. I wanted to stop them. There’s something about being the last line of defense that fits how I think.

Everyone else on the field can make a mistake and recover. If I make a mistake, it’s a goal. That pressure doesn’t scare me — it focuses me. Goalkeeper is also the position where you see everything.

While strikers chase the ball, I’m watching the whole field, reading the play before it develops, and telling my teammates where to move.

What Soccer Gave Me

Decision-making in seconds.
When a striker is running at you one-on-one, you don’t have time to think. You react. Come out or stay back? Dive left or right? Those split-second choices taught me to trust my instincts.

Communication.
A goalkeeper who doesn’t talk is useless. I learned to be loud — directing the defense, calling out runners, organizing the wall on free kicks. It’s not natural for me to yell, but the position demanded it.

Handling failure publicly.
When a goal goes in, everyone sees it. There’s no hiding. I’ve let in bad goals — ones I should have saved. Each one stung. But each one also taught me to reset quickly and focus on the next play, not the last one.

Soccer vs. Hockey

People ask why I play both. They’re different sports, but they share the same core: speed, teamwork, and constant adaptation. Soccer is fluid. Hockey is explosive. And in both, I’ve learned that defense wins games.

Now

I still play soccer whenever I can — pickup games, school matches, or just kicking around with friends. Goalkeeper will always be my position. It’s where I learned to stay calm when everything is coming at me.

Sport: Soccer | Position: [Goal Keeper] | School Team: Rectory School