No Blood Relation

Never have I felt more myself then when I played cage soccer at the park district. It was tradition back then, during the summer of 2006. Not so much about the game though, it was the team. Every night, right after dinner, all of us would tie on our freshly bought indoor soccer shoes and we’d juggle the ball around playing small games against each other under the giant fluorescent lights. The court was ours and no one really bothered us when we occupied it. That was, until some college soccer team decided to start practice at our park. The only thing we could do was either sit back and let them take over, or play for the court. We played for the court. Unknowingly, the college team thought it’d be an easy win and good practice, so they agreed to the challenge.

Now, my friends and I have known each other since close to birth and we’ve all played soccer since close to birth so we knew what we were getting into. So from that day on we’d play the team for the court and it didn’t matter who’d win or lose because we were all too tired by the end to play more anyways. But my friends and I all played together, for each other and it was something completely different from family. We helped each other and were there for anything. I’m sure I spent most of my life at that park, more than I spent with my real family.

I believe in family that isn’t your blood. Truly, what’s the difference between what’s in your veins than what your true intentions are from your own heart. We’ve been a team ever since and have more love than I’ve seen in any other real family. I owe it all thanks to the wonderful sport of futbol and my true brothers; Davor, Luka, Neal, Patrick, and Weston.