It was very difficult to move to a new city in the summer of 1996. This event meant having to attend a new middle school and re-establishing myself in a new environment. Even though I had moved a couple of times before, that didn't make this time any easier. I still had to make new friends and ground myself again. Yet I had no idea the positive impact this move would have on me. The middle school, like most other middle schools, had an "in" audience. In Mandalay it was mostly the football players. After I started school in Mandalay, soccer tryouts were organized. I saw this as a very significant event in my journey through adolescence, an opportunity to be recognized by my new school, as well as an opportunity to make friends and gain some glory along the way. Getting up on a Saturday morning and going to school, I was very nervous about whether or not I would make the team. I've always had athletic ability, but since this was a new city, I wasn't sure how my abilities would compare to other kids. Football tryouts were a grueling event. When tryouts began, it was explained to all of us that the coaches would run drills to evaluate our individual abilities and then place us into specific position groups. After drills, in which I did exceptionally well, Coach Jones placed me in the receiver group. He told me I was extremely fast and would be a good catcher. It felt so good to not only make the team, but also be chosen by Coach Jones as one of the best players on the team. Over the next two weeks, the Mandalay Wolverines held football practices every day after school from 2:45 p.m. 5:00. We always started with some team stretching and then... middle of paper... he would swoop down on me and shout their praises. I scored the winning touchdown that day. The Mandalay Wolverines beat the Oberon Tigers 28-21. I had officially arrived. As a direct result of that match, everything changed. I became extremely confident and, in doing so, continued to do well in sport and made many friends. Without football, I'm not sure what would have happened in eighth grade and beyond. But I know that with football my life has become much simpler and more fun. I stopped playing football my sophomore year of high school, but I transferred my confidence on the football field to confidence on the basketball court. I had one varsity letter for basketball in high school, and another for track and field. Everything went right. I can't even imagine where I would be today without my middle school football days.