Football resides in my heart adroitly, it has become a way to not only improve my physical well-being but also my mental well-being. Ever since I was a kid, I was extremely inclined and passionate towards the sport which led me to participate and showcase my game at ISSO which took place in Jaipur. The competition included IB schools from all around India and it provided us the platform to compete as well as learn from each and every player present. During our first 2 matches we as a team discovered that there are areas of growth such as effective communication in and out of the field, adaptability to different game strategies and improving our team work as a whole. However, I believe that the identification of such areas would not have been possible without the daily training sessions where we were given the opportunity to practice and work harder in order to achieve our goal of winning. The tournament played an intricate role in gaining the knowledge of personal strengths and weaknesses and the importance of being consistent and determinant throughout the journey. In conclusion, because of being committed to the sport as well as to the team we were able to taste the victory of the tournament by becoming the champions of the same. 

LO1- Identify own strengths and develop areas of growth 

The most important aspect of playing a team sport is to know your abilities and act in accordance with the same. Through this tournament, I was able to identify that my strengths are: being a good and respectful communicator inside the field, having the ability to control my temperament when a mistake is made by me or any of my teammates and being able to play with confidence under pressure. However, I also came to the realization that I needed development in terms of: communication outside of the field, power and speed. By working upon these areas, the next tournament will be smoother and my overall performance can be enhanced. 

LO2- demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills 

“Challenges are what makes the victory worth it”. Similarly, participating in the tournament was a hurdle for me and my teammates. This is because we were unfamiliar with the weather and ground conditions of the city. The difference in temperature could be felt in every single match because it was severely hot and it became a necessity for each of the team members to eat appropriately and be hydrated throughout the tournament. Furthermore, since we were playing against IB schools from all around the country, there was a high scope of competition which led to having pre match jitters and nervousness. However, this pushed us to become more adaptable with change and guided us to get accustomed with the strategies, technical and physical abilities as well as the skills that were being showcased by the other teams. In a way, it motivated me to become more reflective and enhance my ability of critical thinking in order to find solutions to these challenges.

LO4- show commitment and perseverance in CAS experiences 

The commitment that was necessary for this activity was to show up every single day in the intense training sessions planned by our coaches early in the morning. The camp went on till multiple weeks where we trained ourselves rigorously in areas such as: shooting, fitness levels and game like scenarios where motivation and perseverance were the key to have patience with the improvement rate of each component. Furthermore, since the training sessions were kept early in the morning there were personal moments where languor often took to my behavior and led me to face struggles in being consistent in the camp. However, I was driven by positive affirmations on such days where my only goal was to focus on my physical health rather than taking the pressure of the tournament. This attitude in a way contributed to my resilient nature and made me ready for the challenges that might occur in the tournament. 

LO5- demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working together 

The importance of teamwork was the most important aspect of the tournament. Playing the sport in itself brings the criteria to work in accordance with each team member, understand each teammate’s requirements and have a common goal in mind. As a team, communication was truly the only key which led us to recognize the benefits which are now prominent such as building valuable friendships, learning from each other and supporting each other during the game. This constant effort to build upon effective teamwork led me to enhance my social and communication skills because during the game it becomes necessary for the team members to understand non-verbal communication in order to play smoothly and strategically. This knowledge worked out in our favor and gave each one of us the opportunity to become the best version of ourselves.