It's freezing cold, the rain is falling so quickly its making running so difficult and it's only the second game of the tournament. We're playing hard and my toe hurts really badly, but I can't concentrate on that. I know I am important to the team, and I can't let my team and coaches down. At half time, my toe is throbbing, but the coach is urging us on because we are losing. My adrenaline kicks in and I know I have to keep playing hard. I can't kick with my right toe anymore, so I start using my left. Trying to keep up with the pace of the game is so hard, and the cold rain is making the pain so much worse. .
We lost that game, and that was my final game of the tournament The doctor confirmed that my toe was broken, which came as no surprise to me. Even though the ending wasn't glamorous, I consider that game and all the other moments during that tournament as one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I remember being asked to try out for the Puerto Rican National Team. I was so excited to be selected and so proud to represent Puerto Rico in an international tournament.
Playing this level of soccer was only part of the excitement for me. Meeting people from all around the world was another thing which will make me remember this opportunity. It was my first time to really know kids my own age who grew up in places outside Puerto Rico and the United States. Because I spoke English better than most of the other players, I got to be the translator. I especially enjoyed my role as mediator when the other guys wanted to talk to girls. Many of the players had never been to the Unites States before and American girls was something so new to them. This was the first time I had truly gone up to girls I did not know and start talking. My coaches also couldn't speak English very well so I often served as translator for them. When we first arrived there were conflicts about where we were supposed to stay.
