Posted: Apr 11, 2018

My Experiences with the Beautiful Game

My name is Matthew Swift, and I graduated this past December from CMC. I was a part of the CMS men’s soccer team since I arrived on campus in the fall of 2015.

I started my collegiate career at Fordham University in the heart of the Bronx. I felt that New York would become my home for years to come. I loved soccer, New York, and as a result Fordham was my dream school. Not only was it my dream to play at Fordham, but the coaches really wanted me to come too! I was playing the game I loved while receiving a great education. It was a dream come true! Well…almost.

I never played that year. I never stepped on the field during a regular season game. While I did see some preseason minutes, no regular season minutes came my way. As the season wore on, I got pretty dejected. I loved soccer, but it didn’t seem to love me back. I was one of the last picks during practice (no one likes that feeling), and spent most of my time doing side drills at practice. Due to game day sideline rules, I spent plenty of time watching games from the stands. I lost my love for soccer. I was not in the coaches’ future plans. Fordham was not for me. The decision was made. I left.

Fortunately, a friend of mine, Coach Edwards, became the CMS men’s soccer coach while I was in the middle of the recruiting process in search of what I hoped would be the perfect fit. He told me to apply to transfer to CMC for my sophomore year. There was no harm in applying, so I sent in my application. I spent my freshman spring taking community college courses, working, and playing soccer locally. When I ultimately visited campus that spring, I knew without a doubt that it was the place for me! It was my dream come true Round Two.

It seemed like everything was falling into place, I was coming to CMC and joining the team in the fall. Unfortunately, I tore both labrums, had double FAI impingements, tore cartilage in my hips and learned that I would need double hip surgery before my sophomore year. I wanted to get back to the game I loved so badly that I postponed the surgeries until after my sophomore season.

The worst case scenario happened. My hips got worse from playing. Thankfully, I was getting surgery either way. I ultimately spent A LOT of time in the training room that season.

I made it through the season and played my sophomore year at CMC, and I loved it! I got to play the game I loved at a great school in Southern California. Whether or not I was fully healthy, I still got to play. That’s all that mattered to me. I just wanted to feel the ball at my feet and play the game that had such an impact on my life over the past 15 years.

After the season, I had the hip surgeries and my junior year was not what I had hoped. Coming off the hip surgeries and an unfortunate knee injury in the summer, I didn’t play very much. I was loving life, but not soccer. My soccer career was an emotional rollercoaster full of ups and downs. I went from always playing in my academy days, to nothing at Fordham, to playing my sophomore year, to very little my junior year.

After my junior year season, I thought about quitting. I thought, “Poor me. Maybe college soccer isn’t for me.” Soon after though, I realized how ridiculous it would be for me to give up on my true love. I couldn’t just cheat on soccer and quit the team. I was determined to keep going.

Going into my senior year, I wanted to make the game fun again like it was when I fell in love with it as a kid. So during the season, I made sure to enjoy the goals, nutmegs, saves, cheeky skills, and locker room banter. Although the season didn’t go our way, I had the most memorable season of my college career. My teammates were even so kind as to vote me MVP (love y’all). Receiving the MVP award is something I will cherish forever. And ultimately, that season reignited the passion for soccer that had been with me since I was just a lil’ dude.

Every athlete in every sport goes through ups and downs in their careers, but I think you just have to make the most of every opportunity. I had some minor setbacks with soccer, but without a doubt, soccer brought me some of the greatest joy I will ever experience in my life. It also gave me many friends who have since become lifelong brothers.

Looking back, I realize how thankful I am to have been given the opportunities to follow my passion and play soccer at every level. My parents afforded me the many opportunities to play soccer and I couldn’t have done it without them. My teammates and coaches pushed me to become the best Swifty I could be.

I’ll miss playing soccer under the lights at Pritzlaff Field with my best friends. I recommend that all current and future athletes make the most of their collegiate careers. Enjoy it, cherish it, be grateful for it, and have a ton of fun doing it!

Good luck to the fam back at CMS next year!

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