Reflecting On A Thankgiving Of Soccer

With Thanksgiving having just passed here in the United States, there was perhaps no better time to reach out to some of my listeners and readers to see just why some of them are thankful to have soccer in their lives.

Enjoy some of the following responses that came in, and feel free to add a few of your own!

Michael Paar wrote in to say:

"I'm thankful for soccer because it gives me a chance to be a part of something that is growing within my lifetime. I love pretty much all sports, but seeing MLS and U.S. Soccer grow and improve has been one of the most interesting things about being a fan."

Michael Babor said:

"I started playing as a teen, and it gave me a sense of discipline. It taught me that if I slacked off or shirked my responsibilities, I was hurting more people than just me."

Alex Mansell added:

"I'm thankful for soccer because it lets me slip out of my routine and into some passion. US soccer gets me going and helps me forget my monotonous daily jobs."

Micah Williams chimed in:
"I'm thankful for soccer because it's taught me more about the world than I would ever learn in school."

According to Calli Robinson, soccer has, at the very least, contributed to her wardrobe: "I'm thankful for soccer because playing it as a child has provided me with one of my favorite workout tees as a young adult."

And last, but certainly not least, my Auburn Soccer radio colleague Brit Bowen had this to say (and I didn't even pay him to say it): "it's given me a chance to work with the one and only Ryan Martin."

Perhaps the most prevalent thread to be taken from the comments that rolled in is one of the togetherness that soccer can offer us all. Whether giving us an avenue to connect with teammates on a pub team, bond with fellow fans around the country, or speak a common language with people from around the world, this simple little game played with a simple little ball has a certain power that many of us can hardly refuse. The world of the modern game may not be perfect, and there are a lot of things we could surely improve on. Despite this, we see so very often just how this game can bring us all together. That is a lesson we should never forget, especially as the holiday season is upon us.