That Freestyle "Football" Lifestyle
***Contest Winner!***
[This article is part of the October 2023 issue of PAX Press.]
Since I was very young, I loved to be around the soccer ball, and I was involved in a lot of other ball sports also. I played organized soccer for six years. In 2018, I started freestyle soccer, and I have been doing it on my own ever since. It’s an individual sport, and although its name contains the word “soccer," it has nothing to do with the game at all. There are no clubs or coaches like in organized soccer.
It taught me to be disciplined and persistent—to never give up on my dreams, and that nothing is impossible.
While there are no clubs, there are teams, and I am a member of one. We do not compete against other teams, but we do choreographed live performances, workshops, and a lot of other things. I enjoy being a part of this team, because I love teaching the basics of freestyle soccer to those who are interested, showing them that the tricks we do can be learned with enough practice. I practice two hours almost every day, and during my training, I like practicing my own creative tricks, acrobatic moves, and some unusual gymnastics as well.
I have learned a lot while participating in this beautiful sport over the last 5.5 years. It taught me to be disciplined and persistent—to never give up on my dreams, and that nothing is impossible. One of the best things about this sport, in my opinion, is that you can create things that have never been done before. Freestyle soccer is great for impressing others, developing concentration and balance skills, and taking you out of the everyday.
—Benedek (FLEX, Hungary), hosted by the Wilson family (IN)
