What it's like to play sports at a small, private school

By Ricky Rand, LCA Senior
The last four years of playing on Lighthouse Christian Academy sports teams (football and soccer) have shaped my life dramatically.

Naturally, football taught me discipline and motivation, and how to catch a ball, of course. And soccer has taught me to have fun no matter what position the coach wants me to play.

Since 7th grade, I was playing goalie on the Lighthouse soccer team (starting in middle school at Lighthouse Church School).
In my freshman year in high school, things got more fun due to the lack of defense. Even though we would lose dramatically almost every game, I gained practice from all the shots taken by opposing teams, and it made me better.

After a rough shoulder injury requiring surgery, I could not play soccer in my junior year. I was replaced by a goalie whose knowledge of the game far exceeded mine. So that year was devoted to getting healthy so that I could play football and soccer my last year of high school (2013-14).

We ended up kicking butt in football with a 7-1 record, but as quickly as the glory of finally winning was given, it was taken away in the loss at quarter finals.

Once soccer season started, I was uncertain of playing due to the fact that my old shoulder injury was acting up and that none of my closest friends were playing.

After three games went by, I was eaten alive by boredom, and I decided to play (knowing that I wouldn't play goalie).

I had never played soccer outside of the goalie box, and when I was put in as a defender it was like playing a whole different sport.

Playing difficult teams was never fun, running around getting "juked out" by the foreign exchange student from Spain. But once we started playing teams of equal skill, I started to enjoy the new position.

During one of our last games, I was moved to left wing, and, of course, it was the one day all year that it rained in L.A. On a quick breakaway, I scored my first goal EVER. I was glad I played soccer, not to win, but for moments like that.

Now that high school sports are over, all I can do is look back at the four years that were full of hope, determination, victory, defeat and, most of all, friends.

***Editor's Note: Ricky Rand was the LCA football captain this year, leading with an example of dedication and commitment. The few times he was subbed into goal, he did outstanding, almost as good as our stellar goalie.