Deb Tawna sucks when it comes to goals

When I was eight, my parents signed me up for a soccer team.

I’m certain the coach explained the fundamentals of the game, but equally certain I was too busy picking dandelions to listen.

I had a dim notion I was supposed to kick the ball toward the goal, but it wasn’t until my teammates began screaming at me during the first game that I learned it made a difference which goal I aimed for.

Deb Tawna in her middle school soccer gear (with baby brother who's now a foot taller than she is).

Determined to hone my skills, my brother and I set up a makeshift soccer field in the backyard. We created goals by flipping lawn chairs on their sides and kicking the ball at them. This worked splendidly until all our goals had giant holes in the center and no one in the family had anyplace to lie down and sunbathe.

You would think I might have given up at this point, but I went on to join the middle school soccer team. My goal was not to fine-tune my athletic prowess or enjoy team camraderie. My goal was to keep an eye on the football team practicing on the adjacent field, and to wonder whether the cute quarterback noticed I chose his number to adorn the back of my own jersey.

It was boy craziness that eventually derailed my budding soccer career at the end of my sophomore year in high school. I developed a string of crushes on members of the cross country team and found soccer practice greatly hindered my ability to ogle the boys on race days.

Unless you count the lawn chairs, I don’t believe I ever scored a goal in a soccer game. I was quick on my feet, but not particularly skilled at ball handling.

I’ll pause for a moment while you all snicker at that one.

I don’t look back with regret on my failed youthful soccer career. My goals out there may not have been the ones I was supposed to aim for, but they suited me just fine.

Are there areas in your life where you shot for the wrong goal or didn’t make one at all, but still turned out OK? Please share!

And please take a moment to admire my fluffy hair and pink lipstick. That’s the result of some serious AquaNet and Wet-n-Wild, folks. Who says I don’t have reasons to be proud?



10 Replies to “Deb Tawna sucks when it comes to goals”

  2. With my life, so many goals didn’t turn out getting me where I intended to go, but they still got me somewhere. Often the somewhere was better than my ultimate goal, so I certainly can’t complain. I’m now where I couldn’t have imagined being 20 years ago.

    Still, even a failed goal is not a wasted one. And the pic was too cute. Not surprised your brother is taller now. Boys do that.

  3. My “failed” goals have been the ones that have had the most
    impact on my life because they lead me in directions I never
    expected to go. I have grown more and learned more from my
    failures to reach certain goals. Were they really MY goals
    or was I incorporating other peoples goals as my own? Did I
    want the goal enough to do the work necessary to achieve it?
    Was I ready to live the goal had I achieved it? Sometimes
    you need to experience more of life and failure before you
    are ready for the success of achieving your goals. So I have
    achieved other goals along the way and found my life moving
    in new, different directions. I am greatful for my failures,
    for without them I would never have achieved some of the
    successes that came my way. I would never have found the
    new goals that came with that growth.

    1. I LOOOOOVE what you wrote here:

      I am greatful for my failures,
      for without them I would never have achieved some of the
      successes that came my way. I would never have found the
      new goals that came with that growth.

  5. How old were you with the lipstick? I was DYING for pink lipstick forever, but didn’t get my gloss on properly until I boarded in for 10th grade.

    1. That picture would have been 8th grade, so I guess I was 13? I think I got to start wearing makeup in 7th grade. Clearly, I had a heavy hand with the pink lipstick!

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