My life is scheduled around soccer. I’ve missed countless special events due to soccer. Soccer takes over my life. Soccer is my life.

My favorite line in reply to an invite is “I can’t; I have soccer.” Yes I do quote the hit YouTube videos by soccergirlprobs; videos all about girl’s soccer problems. I can relate to every one of them.

Due to soccer I have only been able to attend 2 school dances out of 5. This year I wasn’t able to attend my junior prom because of, you guessed it, soccer!

For months I knew prom was going to be on May 3, but I didn’t have my soccer schedule. This was an issue. I didn’t want to commit to someone as their date and end up having to bail because of an unfortunate game schedule. As time got closer I found out I had a tournament that same weekend. But I still wanted to work something out so I could attend prom.

I kept waiting and waiting and my schedule never came in; so, I decided to let it go and miss yet another school dance.

Two weeks before prom and I finally got my schedule.  A game Friday and a game Sunday but no game on Saturday. No soccer on prom, but it was too late, and I was without a date.

Maybe it’s for the best. I spent my prom weekend resting, recovering, hydrating, and carb over loading. Saturday I have dinner with my special date: my dad. We ordered chinese food from Stacy’s. Also, since I’m not spending hundreds of dollars on a dress, nails, and accessories, my dad is getting me new cleats. By the way I’d take a new pair of Diadoras’ Maracana L W over high heels any day.

Besides, I can barely walk in flat shoes, let alone something with a heel elevation of 4 inches. I’m in the middle of my club soccer season right now (soccer is year round) and I can’t risk breaking an ankle.

Plus, I didn’t want to ruin my memories of last year’s prom; it was one of the best nights of my life. Everything was picture perfect. That’s exactly why I didn’t want to go again. I didn’t want to go and have it not as good as I remembered. Quit while ahead was my thought.

Anyway, I had a game the day after prom at 2:00 p.m. While it wasn’t early, I didn’t want to stay up real late and risk being tired the next morning. By the way my team advanced into the second round of State Cup! That’s way more important.

One might argue that I’m making excuses for not going to prom. Well, that would be right but I don’t want to admit it. This is the only way to make myself feel better about the situation as I feel like I have been missing out on a lot of high school due to soccer. I had to make this choice a long time ago, and get my priorities straight.

Right now I might say I’m okay with missing prom, but later on down the road I know I’m going to regret not going. Maybe I should have just taken a chance and went with it. Is it too late to change my mind? I suppose it is. My advice to other girls who can’t make up their mind, GO, even in you don’t have a date. It would be a lot better than dwelling on it for weeks.