A Hero's Journey: Damyan C
I joined IDF in August 2018, I was not sure whether to join but I said why not, it's just a try-out.
The very first minute trying-out for IDF I realized this is the type of club I have been looking for to be trained as a well-rounded football player. IDF develops players who can perform at various levels. After joining IDF I was very fortunate enough to be invited to play football overseas in Lisbon, Portugal with IDF in 2019. This picture was taken in Lisbon, Portugal and it means a lot to me because it shows an opportunity that I thought I'll never get during my lifetime. Thanks to IDF I was able to have this amazing opportunity to play against multiple Portuguese teams during our stay.
Playing against the teams in Portugal is a memory of a lifetime. Playing against these young talented kids you could see their hunger to get somewhere in life. I remember playing against one of the teams and this kid would just run. He had me catching my breath and I was so amazed at how hard these kids work. Looking back at these games made me realize there are probably millions of other kids who are chasing the same dream with the same hunger. So I have to work harder to be better than them and it starts on the training field. I must go to every training session giving 100% effort and focus because if not I will not make it.
Also, what I can take from this experience is that I've learned to be responsible and independent. For example each person was responsible for being down on time for team breakfast, dinner, and team training. If you or your teammate were late, be prepared... well… just hope you aren't late. You have to make sure your training kits and game kits are cleaned and dried. Being Responsible also shows on the pitch. Responsibility on the pitch means doing your job, so if you know you have to be in a certain position to defend, you make sure you get there.
From this great experience and playing multiple games I have grown not only as a soccer player but as a person to be responsible and take advantage of new opportunities that the future may hold.
- DAMYAN C, IDF PLAYER SINCE 2018