“You could bleed to death”
I was diagnosed with Von Willebrand disease when I was in third grade. This was also a turning point in my life when I started to hear “you can’t do that” or “you should be careful when…” This was especially true when it came to sports where injuries can quickly lead to bleeding.
But, as a typical active boy, I didn’t let those warnings stop me and I tried every sport I could from an early age. I live in New York City where sports fields are in short supply but we manage to go out and play. I was introduced to soccer in sixth grade and was immediately drawn to it.
I am not sure what it is about soccer that I find so thrilling. It’s unique, suspenseful, and complicated. There are so many more skills to be learned in soccer compared with other sports. For me, placing the ball in the top corner of the goal is far more satisfying than hitting a home run or making a 3-pointer. The passion, the danger, and the excitement while playing a game for me are unparalleled by any other sport.
In sixth grade, my best friend, John, who was a skilled travel team player, invited me to play World Cup at a nearby field with other kids. I joined an organized team in 7th grade. While Von Willebrand didn’t seem like that big of an issue to me at the time, it concerned my parents much more. My mom would always remind my doctor to tell me that I'm not allowed to head the ball but I didn’t take it seriously; how do you play soccer without heading? So I headed the ball anyways, but I always tried to be a little bit cautious.
Then I started playing at a competitive level.
There was the Uptown Manhattan final, when I went up for a corner kick. I tried to head the ball, but it skewed off of someone else’s head and I miscalculated my jump. The ball hit me straight in the face, and my nose started bleeding like a faucet. My Von Willebrand was well known to everyone by then, especially the coaches, and I was immediately subbed out of the game, which we lost 1-0.
During practice one time, we practiced corner kicks and again I went up to head the ball. I didn’t see that one of the defenders was also going for it. Our heads clashed against each other and we both collapsed, but not before I scored. Soccer is a contact sport and one of the reasons I love it so much, but each time I was injured, you could almost hear the gasp, mostly from my mom, but also others who knew of my condition. This head-banger caused my forehead to swell up like a balloon and I sat out the rest of practice with an ice pack pressed against my temple.
Like most kids my age who literally live for soccer I have my idols,. They are Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, both of whom were diagnosed at an early age with diseases that could have prevented them from playing. Ronaldo was diagnosed with a racing heart, and Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency.
I became a follower and a huge fan of Ronaldo and Messi not only because of their mastery of the game but also because I found something that connected us: childhood diagnoses that could have prevented us from pursuing our love of soccer. Like my idols, I was told at an early age not to do too much and to proceed with caution, but I wasn’t willing to give up something that made me feel excited and proud. Watching my soccer idols, I realized that I had a choice; sit out or overcome my personal challenge and pursue what I loved.
While Ronaldo and Messi are world famous soccer players, Marco Reus is a lesser-known player on my favorite team, Dortmund. His career has been plagued with countless injuries, but each time, he returned to the field with even greater energy and motivation. Reus is an example of a player that is clearly determined to support his club and contribute to their success, one of the big reasons why I connected with and love soccer: it’s truly a team sport that requires each of the eleven players to be at their best in order for the team to win.
For all the kids who are told they shouldn’t play soccer because of VWD, I would say they shouldn’t sit out right away. Understand what their limits are and see what’s possible. In cases where the kid bleeds every ten minutes, maybe they can pursue their dream in other ways, such as playing non-competitively with friends, becoming a youth coach when they get older, or involve themselves in the fanbase of a specific club. There are many different ways to involve yourself with your community.
I hope that I can continue playing for a long time. As I start to prepare for college, there are more demands on my time, but I know that I will always find time for soccer. Every night I see a group of 30 year-old men get together on the field across the street and play for over an hour. While I am not going to be able to pursue a professional soccer career, that is a reminder I will have soccer in my life in some way as long as I live.
I created my website Live Smart Play Smart for kids like me who are faced with a medical or physical challenge. I want kids from all over the world to have a place where they can tell their version of their Von Willebrand story. Kids with or without a blood disease, kids who, for whatever reason, were told “you can’t or shouldn’t do it.” My message to everyone is to pursue their goals and dreams but also do it with a sense of responsibility - be smart about the risks you take and play smart and in a way that doesn’t allow your disease or disability to prevent you from playing your best.