2026-02-05, 08:20 AM - Word count:
(This post was last modified: 2026-02-05, 08:22 AM by rrf_1. Edited 1 time in total.)
05 Feb 2026
This week’s question for the Victoria Falls social media series is:
Coming to the Academy was a very difficult decision for me. This is one of the biggest risks I have ever taken, and I still worry that football as a full-time professional career won’t work out in the long run. I know many players don’t make it to a professional squad despite dedicating themselves fully to the sport, and I know it’s especially challenging for players like me that only started taking football training seriously over the past couple years. Although the odds might be stacked against me, I’m ready for the challenge, even if my confidence is still an unfinished product.
My goals for this season are all related to gaining confidence in my talent and my potential to be a star player. I use my insecurities as motivation, and I hope through my Academy season I can prove to myself and to the league that I am deserving or a role in a professional organization.
One of my insecurities is not having the technical skills to compete at the professional level. I’m coming to the Academy with a decent baseline of athletic talent, but I don’t excel in some of the technical abilities that many of my peers have. Maybe I have an edge in tackling, which comes more naturally to me as a primary defender, but I don’t have significant experience in all the technical skills that are important for the fullback defender position. My first goal for this season is to equalize my technical weaknesses with the other players at the Academy and further develop my technical strengths in alignment with the priorities of my position. I hope that at the end of the season I can impress the Academy with noticeable growth in technique, even if these improvements are only apparent in subtle changes in my behavior out on the pitch rather than in the box score metrics. I want to show flashes of potential to become a technically proficient fullback defender in the SSL.
My other main insecurity is my lack of mental determination. I remember back in University, I made a mistake toward the end of a must-win match. The pressure of the situation interfered with my focus, and I suddenly found it challenging to think clearly. During a late defensive possession, I fell a few steps behind and got out of position, which left an open passing lane for a cutting opponent to sink the ball into our goal. Seconds after it happened, I knew exactly what I did wrong, but I didn’t have the mental strength in the moment to avoid the mistake. For some players, the ability to perform in clutch situations is a natural talent, but I believe it can also be a trained skill for others. While at the Academy, I want to prioritize improving my mental resilience so that I can excel in the key moments. I want to show the league that I can perform under high pressure.
This week’s question for the Victoria Falls social media series is:
Quote:What insecurities and what goals do you have for your academy season?
Coming to the Academy was a very difficult decision for me. This is one of the biggest risks I have ever taken, and I still worry that football as a full-time professional career won’t work out in the long run. I know many players don’t make it to a professional squad despite dedicating themselves fully to the sport, and I know it’s especially challenging for players like me that only started taking football training seriously over the past couple years. Although the odds might be stacked against me, I’m ready for the challenge, even if my confidence is still an unfinished product.
My goals for this season are all related to gaining confidence in my talent and my potential to be a star player. I use my insecurities as motivation, and I hope through my Academy season I can prove to myself and to the league that I am deserving or a role in a professional organization.
One of my insecurities is not having the technical skills to compete at the professional level. I’m coming to the Academy with a decent baseline of athletic talent, but I don’t excel in some of the technical abilities that many of my peers have. Maybe I have an edge in tackling, which comes more naturally to me as a primary defender, but I don’t have significant experience in all the technical skills that are important for the fullback defender position. My first goal for this season is to equalize my technical weaknesses with the other players at the Academy and further develop my technical strengths in alignment with the priorities of my position. I hope that at the end of the season I can impress the Academy with noticeable growth in technique, even if these improvements are only apparent in subtle changes in my behavior out on the pitch rather than in the box score metrics. I want to show flashes of potential to become a technically proficient fullback defender in the SSL.
My other main insecurity is my lack of mental determination. I remember back in University, I made a mistake toward the end of a must-win match. The pressure of the situation interfered with my focus, and I suddenly found it challenging to think clearly. During a late defensive possession, I fell a few steps behind and got out of position, which left an open passing lane for a cutting opponent to sink the ball into our goal. Seconds after it happened, I knew exactly what I did wrong, but I didn’t have the mental strength in the moment to avoid the mistake. For some players, the ability to perform in clutch situations is a natural talent, but I believe it can also be a trained skill for others. While at the Academy, I want to prioritize improving my mental resilience so that I can excel in the key moments. I want to show the league that I can perform under high pressure.
![[Image: ihJvO77.png]](https://imgur.com/ihJvO77.png)
SSL Club Identities – Handing Out Attribute Report Cards
Analyzing Defender Value By Role
About Ekon 1 2
Career Tasks 1
