Wimbledon, World Cup, and the Closest I've ever Come to being an Athlete

Photo Credit: Unsplash John Formander

After beating her opponent, Iga Swiatek, Alex Eala became the first Filipina tennis player to make it to the round of 16 at Wimbledon. She was defeated by Jasmine Paolini, but she, along with sports greats like Manny Pacquiao and Carlos Yulo, she has won the hearts of her Filipino Kababayan. After her win against Swiatek, her post-game interview went viral as she recalled the little girl with a tennis racket and a dream:

"I went to train with my brother and my grandfather every day after school with my ruffled socks and my light-up shoes and my chubby cheeks. So to her, this is everything."

I never grew up as an athlete. I may not have always been picked last in gym class, but I certainly wasn't picked first. I couldn't kick. I couldn't throw. I still can't catch (or kick or throw). I've run my share of 5k's, but calling what I do "running" is also generous. My one physical claim to fame was a kindergarten fun run where my brother pledged to give $1 for every lap I ran, thinking he would give a donation of $5 tops. Joke was on him because I went on to run 20 laps.

I did, however, grow up watching my brothers play a lot of baseball. And Saturdays in the fall find me Calling the Dawgs. I was in the Philippines during the 2024 Olympics when Carlos Yulo took home the gold medal in the vault and floor exercise in gymnastics. There's just something special about sports that makes you feel like you belong to something, even if you're not the one out there in the ring or on the pitch.

Photo Credit: Unsplash Anthony Maw

Every four years, we have the opportunity to celebrate athletics around the world. I look forward to this worldwide spectacle, particularly because I love hearing the backstories about the athletes. I love the features about the GOAT and the speculations about who we might be seeing on the global stage for the last time. And then, on all the other even years, we have The FIFA World Cup.

You see, I've never been into soccer. When I hear football, I think quarterback, not a striker. I think goalposts, not goals. Out of bounds means your toes are outside of the white line, and offsides means a 5 yard penalty. I remember when the World Cup was last hosted in the United States in 1994. I was going into the 7th grade, and I was living in Augusta, Georgia. There were a handful of kids who were excited, and I can still remember learning names of some of the American players. You'll see those guys on the sidelines this year as commentators. I remember that was the year when I first heard that my dad played soccer in college.

This year is the year when images of my dad playing the position of goalie on his college team occupy my mind, and maybe that's part of the reason why this year feels different. Instead of sitting back and whining about how there's nothing but soccer on TV, I 've sat down to watch a few matches. I asked questions. I retained some of that knowledge. I put names like Messi, Ronaldo, and Mbappe to faces. I was delighted by the fans who "rowed" in support of Norway and admired the Japanese fans who brought their own bags and pledged to clean up their sections after every game. I laughed as people experienced the United States first hand, trying everything from In and Out to ranch dressing for the first time. And now, in a few hours, I'll have finished watching the World Cup.

Why is it so special this year? Why did I choose to watch so many games?

I think it's because out of everything that has happened in the last 12 months, this is something that hasn't made me want to curl up in a corner and cry. This is something I've been able to just sit back and enjoy. It all started when I was watching a documentary about how the US Men's National Team was chosen. As I watched the stories of each individual player, I realized their journeys were a lot like the stories of Carlos Yulo and Alex Eala. They've all faced trials to get to where they are. The high continued as I watched fans from the tiny island nation, Cape Verde, show us the best of their country, including their 40-year old goalie, Vozinha. If I had Snapchat, I would have followed Erling Halland immediately so I could enjoy a laugh here and there. I can't imagine what it was like for Jude Bellingham to hear his country serenade him after beating Norway.

Taking the time to enjoy these things, it was for the girl who has felt so much sadness in the past year. It was a moment to tell myself that it will get better. The memories of how hard it has been will stay with me as much as Alex Eala's frilly socks and light-up shoes have stayed with her. I don't know what tomorrow or next week or next month or next year will bring. It may be defeat. I just do'nt know. But for now, I know this: It's easy to get swept up in this emotion and finally get it: It really is The Beautiful Game. And God is beauty.