Kimberly Boulos

Somebody pinch me! I must be dreaming! I am a professional soccer player…?! Me…? Kimberly Boulos…? The girl who tripped over every curb, walked into every street sign, and spilled every glass of cranberry juice…?!

 

When I first began playing for Steve Davis on the Eastchester Patriots 87 team, I was fifteen years old. Most of my teammates had already been playing competitively for about seven years; so, I seemed like a lost cause. On my first day as a Patriot, my teammates nicknamed me “Clutz.” Some girls had the speed of a cheetah, while others had the grace of a gazelle; but, not me. I ran around like a “chicken with my head cut off,” had the touch of bull, and spent more time on the ground than a newborn horse on ice. I did, however, have heart. I had heart, and I had a club that constantly encouraged me to follow my dreams. Because of them, I am living my dream. Because of them, I went from“Clutz” to a starting forward in Sweden’s professional league.

Last March, four months after my final college game at Fordham University, and six years after I joined the Patriots, I was offered a professional soccer contract to play for QBIK in Sweden’s first division. One month later, my bags were packed, and I was on the “red-eye” flight from JFK to Stockholm.

I spent my flight next to a bawling infant, lost my luggage, and got lost in Stockholm International Airport; but, like the Patriots always told me: NEVER GIVE UP. Eventually, I was greeted by my future coach, Jan “Adidas” Svensson. “Adidas” and I jumped into his Volvo (which, by the way, everyone in Sweden seemed to drive), and we began our long haul from Stockholm to Karlstad.

After four hours, we arrived in Karlstad. On no hours of sleep, I went straight into my first practice. It was horrendous. I got pushed off every ball, none of my passes went where I had intended, and I felt like a cone that everyone was playing around. The style of play was different from what I was used to—while American teams stress movement off the ball and playing in one or two touches, my teammates in Sweden were more attuned to dribble and play the long ball. Furthermore, the girls in Sweden played much more physically than I have ever seen a team play. I have always been one of the most physical players on my team; yet, at the start of my season in Sweden, I was one of the least physical players. But, like the Patriots always told me: NEVER GIVE UP.

The language barrier was an additional obstacle that took some time to overcome. Whenever I received a ball, I heard a chorus of people directing me in Swedish. I had no idea whether they wanted me to dribble, pass, shoot, or shield the ball. I paid too much attention to trying to understand what they were saying, and, thus, I kept losing the ball. I felt lost in every drill, I never understood our coaches’ feedback, and I felt completely out of place in the locker room. In addition, my second week in, I ruptured my Psoas muscle, and could not even walk for about three weeks. But, like the Patriots always told me: NEVER GIVE UP. 

And I did not. I NEVER GAVE UP. I realized I needed to stop relying on the directions and feedback from others, and just focus on “playing my game”; so, I played “my game,” and I earned a starting position. I understood that my teammates were nervous about speaking to me in English; so, I approached them, and I made amazing friends. I told myself I would heal quickly from my injury; so, I went to the trainer every single morning, and I healed quickly. Practice by practice I followed the Patriots advice, and I NEVER GAVE UP.

Because I NEVER GAVE UP, living in Sweden ended up being one of the most incredible experiences of my life. The people I met in Sweden were some of the most generous and welcoming people I have ever met in my life. They threw me a surprise graduation party because I had missed my graduation from Fordham, they constantly invited me into their homes for dinner, and they set up countless get-togethers so that the other American players and I could get to know some more people. Although I had a difficult time settling in to Sweden, leaving the life I had there has proved even more challenging. Luckily, seven years ago, the Patriots taught me, the “Clutz,” to NEVER GIVE UP; so, I know I will settle back in the US just fine.