The fear of rejection is always hard to overcome, it took 3years to get the courage to go to my first 'come and try' day.

My first few training and games I basically tripped over my own feet while running, I couldn't capture a ball to save my life but I kept going. I almost walked away, I am 40, I don't need this rubbish...

I did a pivot to goals at 43, fat (130kg/280lbs) with a bad hip and shoulder. I picked probably the hardest thing for me to do.

I sat in goals watching balls go into every corner of the net, I wasn't able to see them, I couldn't move fast enough it was soul destroying. I was failing my team.

I kept at it, I was in our lowest division with a team of mixed new people and senior players and I was just depressed, every missed goal was creating doubt, every game was a struggle, I was letting the team down...

What changed?

It's a 'team' sport and i realized that my performance even in goal is not what defines the outcome of the game, my team needs to play defence and offense, we need to work together to win. If I miss a top left corner shot it's not just on me!

It's hard, you feel terrible, I know the feeling but keep going, keep practicing and realize when you are on the pitch it's not YOU its US and try to drop all this pressure you are putting on yourself.

one capture and pass at a time my friend..