50 Things I Wish I Knew Before Playing College Soccer

1. Don't be late. Ever. The whole team will pay for it.

2. Bright underwear on the day of a home game is never a good idea.

3. On sale sports bras. Take advantage of deals like this.

4. Listen to the advice your dad gives you after games. Whether he’s right or wrong, this is how he shows he loves you.

5. You don't need flashy cleats. Your footwork will talk for itself.

6. Some people will never see your potential; don’t let it stop you from trying.

7. Always share your pre-wrap. You'll need to borrow someone's some day.

8. Being skinnier does not mean you’re a better athlete or faster.

9. There is more to life than missing a party.

10. Respect your seniors and "Play for them". You’ll be there one day.

11. Be kind to the freshmen. You were there at one point, and it sucks just as much for them, as it did for you.

12. Always drink water when your coach gives you a water break, whether you're thirsty or not.

13. Your bruises and scars are something to be proud of, not hide.

14. Bring an external charger on the bus. The outlets never work.

15. Keep your locker clean. Trust me on this one.

16. Never blame yourself for losing in penalty kicks. It never should have been tied in the first place.

17. Your padded sports bra is obvious.

18. Take it easy with the make up before games.

19. Intensity is beautiful. Don’t ever let anyone make you feel bad for trying too hard.

20. If they try to bring you down, say goodbye.

21. Stop venting your problems out loud. Your coaches and teammates won't appreciate the negativity.

22. Be nice to your parents after your game; no matter how angry you are that you lost.

23. Take your classes seriously.

24. Eat more and take care of yourself. With hours of practice and games, your body needs more fuel. Listen to it.

25. It doesn't matter how thick you think lifting is making you, don't avoid weights. 

26. Going out on the weekends is all fun and games until you’re up at 6am on a Monday for conditioning.

27. You can be great without being a starter.

28. Don’t pretend for a second to be someone you are not just to impress people. You’ll lose yourself.

29. Write down your goals.

30. Kill them with kindness.

31. Learn to apologize. Maybe that free kick wasn’t your fault, but making somebody else feel like it was their fault is only hurting the team. 

32. If he or she can’t understand your busy schedule, they probably never will.

33. It’s one bad practice. Don’t let it carry over into your next one. Overcome.

34. Embrace Panera. It will seem like a Thanksgiving meal compared to the Subway sandwich you get every time you travel.

35. No matter how oblivious your coach acts, he knows all the latest gossip.

36. Your mom knows when you’re hurting well before you'll admit it to yourself.

37. Who cares if you have bad tan-lines in the summer. Wear shorts anyways.

38. There are worse things in the world than throwing your hair up in a soaking wet bun because you didn’t have time to straighten it. 

39. Act with class, always. Your coach has eyes and ears everywhere and you’re a representation of your team.

40. Keep your composure. Flipping out at practice or a game never helped any situation.

41. Talk with respect to your coach, teammates and referees. Being rude won’t get you anywhere.

42. High school years are not the best years of your life.

43. Your “senior game” will be sad, but smile for your family anyways.

44. Don’t get annoyed by a teammate who follows you around. Imitation is a form of flattery.

45. You can still be a good teammate without needing to best friends with somebody.

46. Don’t hesitate to tell a teammate something you admire about them. You never know what it could mean to them.

47. Don’t walk on the concrete with your brand new cleats. You’ll regret it.

48. Get good at putting on your socks/shinguards/cleats really fast. You’ll probably be rushing every time you do.

49. Even if you're the most fit person on your team, conditioning isn't "stupid". It's about your team going through something together.

50. Eat the damn donut. You'll run it off later.

To all of the high school soccer girls reading this-- Trust us when we say; even though soccer may be the most frustrating thing in your life at times, the good moments will always out-weigh the bad. You will build life-long relationships with your teammates, self-confidence and memories that will make up for that time you got benched for making a mistake or that party you missed because you were traveling for a game. You only get one college soccer career, make the most of it!