FOR SOMETHING BIGGER
Emerson Batson out of Charlotte, NC plays for Charlotte Soccer Academy and The Charlotte Lady Eagles. She has committed to LA Tech Women’s Soccer Class of 2029.
One thousand, six hundred, eighty-nine days.
Almost five years of consecutive training.
Reflecting back on why I do this is so rewarding. I think that nine-year-old me, who was cut from a club team and thought that was the end of the world, would be very proud.
I vividly remember being cut from that team and feeling disappointed. A completely justified emotion, especially because I love soccer so much. Instead of letting that disappointment deter me from my dreams, I channeled it into something better.
My training.
It kind of started as a way to show them I was good and to make myself better, but then it changed along the way.
There is something so individual about training. There is less pressure, but it enhances skills like discipline and hard work. But, at the same time, it is still so much fun which ultimately is what matters the most.
Even on the days when I’m tired, having a bad day, or don't feel like doing the hardest training drill in the world, I'll still get out and train, because it's important to me.
Some days I can go to the gym, and others I practice juggling. I think it's important not to make it so regimented and instead focus on having more fun with it. Being a high schooler is hard and time-consuming, and some days my training video doesn’t get posted until nine o’clock. Some days I am really tired, but that is when having a good support system is crucial.
When I first decided I was going to commit to training every day, I didn’t know where to start. So, I turned to Instagram. The videos started as a way to hold myself accountable. But I slowly started to gain a following. Training shifted from helping myself improve to helping others instead. I realized that this platform was a place where I could really make an impact.
With more followers came more responsibility. My dad has been a huge helping hand in recording my videos, editing them, and helping me post them. He has learned so much by helping me do this, which I hope is how other parents feel when they go to my page.
For instance, people will comment on my posts, and it'll be a dad and he'll say, “me and my daughter watched these on the way to practice.” Instances like that just motivate me to keep going. I hope that it continues to help other people with training ideas, or maybe just with the motivation factor because I love that I can be a resource to others.
As my following grew, I started to really get involved with the people I interacted with on my Instagram page. It's really cool to see the people I've gotten to meet who live across the world in places like Brazil, or the moms and dads who are trying to help their kids, or just other girls my age or maybe younger girls who look up to me. I love that soccer is a world game and we all have a common language in our love of that game.
I looked around and I realized it's way more than just about me.
It wasn’t about creating a checklist.
It wasn’t about proving anything to others.
It was about being a role model.
It was about consistency, accountability, and always being willing to put in the work.
It was about growth.
What I have gained from this is so much more than what happened on the field. These skills are things I carry into daily life. My soccer training regimen has taught me the value of self-discipline and never giving up on personal goals. I don’t just train when I want to, I train because I need to if I want to achieve my goals.
Getting started is easy, but discipline has been the key to my training and reaching for my soccer dreams. That same discipline has carried over into my academics and career goals. I hope that others who follow me will be inspired to put in the work that allows them to achieve their own goals.
Maybe it'll be hard in the moment, but the end result will be so worth it because I'm just pushing myself to grow and be the best I can be.
That's what motivated me to start helping other people. It's about how I can help other people fall in love with soccer the way I did.
My story went from something bad, where I was disappointed, to something that's good for everyone. In the end, I guess I have the coach who cut me to thank because I would have never been able to get where I am today without that motivating moment.
Now, every time I create a video, do a drill, or make a post, it means something different.
I've trained for one thousand, six hundred, eighty-nine days and counting.
In the end, it's what I do every day. It's not that many days combined, but it's the individual effort day in and day out that has made me the player and person I am.
It’s for something bigger.
Sincerely,
