Motivation for all young struggling soccer players

[airwolex]

In 2009, when I was 16, I was in my last few years of school and living in Europe as my Dad was on work exchange. When it came to culture, I learnt how crazy Europeans were about their football. For myself, I really loved playing and watching, but that was it. I was just an average player playing for a local club. I never thought of playing professionally. I never represented any national teams or my county for that matter.

One day my life changed. I bought a self-help book from Amazon called 'The Magic of Thinking Big'. In the book, the author talked about how to make your dreams a reality. I guess at that time, I always dismissed any thought of playing at a higher level than I was. But from reading that book, I learnt that theoretically you could achieve your dreams with belief, hard work and persistence.

If there is one thing I love about football (soccer), it's the passion. There's nothing more exhilarating for me than hearing the chants and roars of supporters in a stadium packed with tens of thousands of people. In my free time, I would always be looking up YouTube video's of these electric atmosphere's. Liverpool fans singing "You Never Walk Alone" for example. I don't know why, but sometimes I would literally get tears in my eyes from just watching them and still do.

I thought to myself "Nick, imagine if you were a professional footballer, walking out of the tunnel to a packed stadium. Imagine scoring a goal and celebrating with thousands of your home fans." - I'd never been more excited in my life about the possibilities. So in September 2009 I decided I would go for my dreams and set out to become a professional footballer (http://is.gd/Yw9Osu), the same time I began my blog.

The Nick Humphries then had

limited ability
no connections
millions upon millions of kids better than him with tens of thousands playing at top youth academies
friends and family (and occasionally himself) thinking he was absolutely crazy to attempt this (Andy Johns has already pointed out how the sheer numbers of competition is enough to make you vomit)
But most importantly above all: Desire and Belief.


The next six months I worked harder than I ever did with football and over time my game improved.

To get to a higher level you need connections. So I emailed dozens of professional clubs. I got back one reply from AFC Wimbledon based in London, which back then were in the 5th division. The coach said to come over and train so I flew to England and did. I trained with their U17's and I was told I wasn't good enough after two or three training's.

I brushed that experience off my shoulders, went back home, kept training with the goal of improving.

In April of 2010 I read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. 10,000 hours it said. So I literally doubled/tripled my training schedule so that I was training at least 20 hours a week. At least 12 of these hours each week we're spent grudgingly down at the local field with just my boots and a ball. In the snow, wind, rain, sunshine it didn't matter, I would set out to complete these 20 hours every single week. If I didn't, then I would punish myself with more hours! It took some really hard self discipline (and still does!). I remember one week I was holidaying with family in France, I was lazy the week before, so I forced myself to do 40 hours of training that week (by myself may I add) with most of it on an old concrete basketball court in the resort.

But the hard work finally started to show signs of paying off.

I attended a few training camps over that summer and met a few players who were on athletic scholarships at US colleges. I thought "Hey, if they can do it, why shouldn't I give this a a shot?" So I took the SAT, made a video (
) and used a service to send the video to coaches in the US. A few weeks later, I received $100,000+ in scholarship offers (http://is.gd/AqXbcS). Unfortunately, none were really in a league or location I wanted to play at so I declined those offers.

By December of that year, I was invited to train with the U/17 Australian national team. Actually, I wasn't "invited" - I was just lucky that their training base was in my hometown, and my bullshit email to ask if I could "continue my professional training regime" was one of the few which were read and replied to.

That was an amazing opportunity for me. Training in an full-time environment where the pitch was perfect, kits were laid out nicely and the balls used were the best you could get. But.. after two training's the coach thought I was nowhere near a level to compete in a youth world cup.

When you don't make the team, most people give up. I failed an amazing amount of times while I've been in this period of trying to "make it". But each time I was unsuccessful with a trial, I didn't get my head down, I just took it as an opportunity to get "feedback".

I always ask the coach what I could of done better and need to improve. Whether it's faster decision making, or strength, etc - after each trial I've always taken their "feedback" into consideration and acted upon it. This Kaizen method of constantly reviewing what I can improve each week, is what was/is slowly making me a very good player.

Fast forward, and It was July 2011, the month of my 18th birthday. Out of the 100's of people I was trying to make as valuable connections in the past, I now had a few stable contacts that I was keeping in contact with.

I got someone to arrange a trial with the U19's of Vasas SC - a famous Hungarian club that plays in the 1st division. I played well, but I was unsuccessful.

Then, I got someone to arrange a trial with a 2nd division Hungarian club called Kazincbarcika SC. They wanted to look at me for the senior squad. I was scared shitless because there were some players there who had played for their respective senior national teams. There was a guy who would have trained alongside Samuel Eto'o for example. I trained nervously, but well enough so I could play in an away friendly matched they organised. I had one of the best games of my life. I played 90 minutes, scored a goal and created a few chances for other players. This was my moment. I was one of the best players on the pitch in a professional match. After that game, the club offered me an contract, but not under the conditions that would put me in a safe position. But still, that was a shining moment for me. Just two years prior I was nothing. Now I was worth something in football.

Long story short, 14 months later today I live in Amsterdam, Netherlands but not for the reason you think.

I came here to have fun with in college for a little while before I believe my football career will go into full swing.


Most recently, I had a six week trial with FC Volendam, a Dutch 2nd division outfit. I was training with their reserve team who play in a league with some of the best teams in the country and in the world for that matter (Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, etc). Again, I failed to make it in their squad. But my performance was very positive. I asked the coach what I should improve. I'm usually accustomed to hearing a list of things I should improve from coaches. But this time I hear one thing from the coach: Strength.

Once I improve that, my weaknesses are all but gone. It's only up from here

Just waiting for the next opportunity to arise..
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I want my story to mean something to all of you reading this. I was not born with special abilities or talent. I was not given the best coaching. I was never the best athlete out there. I am not some sort of special human being from Mars.

You can achieve ANYTHING you want in life through hard work, never ever, ever, ever giving up and matching all of that with belief.

It's also about working smart too. Your hard work needs to be directed in the right places. Making connections is one example. Someone who can mentor you is priceless (support John Moses! John Moses | LinkedIn

I apply the same philosophy to my business startups as well, not just soccer.

Seriously, from one friend to another, you can make your dreams become reality. Trust me! You can do it! And I know that sounds so cliche, but greatness is not some illusion that only a special few among us can achieve.

Maybe I've made it easier than it sounds here in this post. It's all about staying focused and on track. But there have been many times where I've thought if it's even worth it to continue going. Many people saying I'm not good enough, even laughing at me sometimes. Times where I've cried. Overcoming pain, fear and anxiety.

The last three years of this sporting journey have ultimately been a journey that has taught me so much about life. But that moment when I rip a ball in the back of the net and celebrate to the roar of tens of thousands of people will be the moment when I know that it was all worth it.

http://www.quora.com/Football-soccer-2/ ... -top-level