I had a little over 300 people come to our match on Wednesday. A small stadium which meant a scene that looked like a dream.

Standing at the center line about to enter the field looking at the large crowd, ball boys, people waving flags yelling profanities, and then me. An American born kid playing for hundreds of people so far away from home.

I cross the chalked white line with always my right foot first. A tradition I started after coming back home from a trip to China where it’s a tradition and good luck to step into any doorway with your right foot leading. I land with my right foot on the grass and all nervousness washes away. This is my element.

However, there is one thing that happens subconsciously in games of high pace. You get tunnel vision, you only see in the direction you’re looking at which in default is forward and down.

I watched my highlight reel(which is always a palm sweating experience for me as I always see the better decision I could have made) and I had a realization. In life when things are in disorder what is the first thing we should do? Your friend is mad at you, do you immediately go shopping and bring them a gift to say sorry? Do you duct tape a leaky faucet? No, you step back and asses, strategize and then execute. Take a second, step back, ask yourself why is my friend mad, why is the faucet leaking. You strategize, how do I make my friend not mad at me anymore, where is the leak starting? And then you execute.

The same goes with soccer, my game is in need of better decisions, not quicker but better. How do I do that mid-game?

1. Asses the position you are in the field in relation to your other teammates and opponents

   How do you do this: CHIN UP, HEAD UP

2. Strategize, if you were to get the ball where would you go, what would you try to do

   How do you do this: THINK AHEAD, BE CREATIVE, BE ON THE SAME PAGE.

3. Execute, this is the easy part. After looking around and knowing what you are going to do in relation to where you are now it’s time to fulfill the action.