I have been playing football since 3 years and after my 3 years in football it was a huge honor to be selected for my school’s under-17 football team. For the ISSO event, which featured schools from all around India, we traveled to Indore. During those intense six days of real-game action, I gained a great deal of knowledge about decision-making, collaboration, and developing my skills both on and off the field.

LO1 – Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth: At the competition, I found what I was good at in football like passing and what I needed to focus on.like shooting. I had to deal with difficult conditions and maintain my cool during hard games in every encounter. For example, there were instances wherein the opponent teams used to do fouls and I used to feel really agitated. However, It was a chance for me to grow not just as a player, but also as a person.

LO5 – Demonstrate skills and benefits of working collaboratively: Working closely with my teammates and coaches was a requirement of playing at ISSO. Together, we devised strategy, offered mutual support throughout games, and interacted with each other on the field. This encounter made me realize the value of cooperation and the extent of what we can accomplish when we work together.

LO7 – Recognise and consider the ethics of choices and actions: Playing in a competitive tournament got me thinking about sportsmanship and fair play a lot. During games, I had to make snap decisions while still following the rules and treating everyone with respect. I considered how I could get better and choose wisely the following time after every game.

For me, the ISSO event was a fantastic learning opportunity. It was about developing as a player and a person, not just about football. I will carry with me the lessons I learned about playing fairly, collaborating with my team, and identifying my abilities. I can’t wait to continue playing and picking up new skills from encounters like this one.