My First Start: Pressure, Belief, and Loving the Moment

Getting my first start with the club is something I’ll always remember. Not just because I was in the starting eleven, but because of what that moment represented after everything it took to get there.

The journey to this point hasn’t been straight. It never is.

There have been highs where everything feels like it’s clicking, and lows where you’re questioning yourself, wondering when your moment will come. Coming to Europe at 15 from Canada, leaving behind family, friends, and comfort, puts you face to face with yourself pretty quickly. There’s nowhere to hide in football over here.

The Start Wasn’t a Gift

Starting wasn’t a reward for past work. It was a test.

When I walked onto the pitch to start for SU Sintrense, I knew I was being trusted in a team that expects results every single week. After the game, our record moved to 16–0, and that adds another layer to everything you feel out there.

People see the wins and assume it’s easy. It’s not.

Playing With Pressure

There’s real pressure playing for a team that hasn’t lost.

Every opponent wants to be the one to stop the run.

Every mistake feels bigger.

Every touch carries weight.

You feel it in warm-ups. You feel it in the first challenge. You feel it knowing that standards don’t drop just because you’re young or because it’s your first start.

But I’ve learned that pressure isn’t a bad thing.

Pressure means the coaches trust you.

Pressure means the club believes you can handle the moment.

Pressure means you’re part of something that matters.

Why I’ve Learned to Love It

As much as the pressure is there, I’ve started to love performing in that environment.

I love the accountability.

I love being pushed every day in training.

I love competing with teammates who demand more from themselves and from each other.

Winning 16 straight matches doesn’t happen by luck. It comes from discipline, details, and a group that buys into the work even when it gets uncomfortable. Being part of that kind of team forces you to grow fast, whether you’re ready or not.

The Bigger Lesson

This first start reminded me of something important.

Football doesn’t move in a straight line.

Progress isn’t always visible.

Opportunities come when you least expect them.

If you keep working when no one’s watching, keep believing when things feel uncertain, and stay ready even when your name isn’t being called yet, good things do happen.

This start isn’t the destination. It’s just another step. There will be more challenges ahead, more pressure, more highs and lows.

But now I know I belong in moments like this and honestly, playing with pressure, chasing standards, and helping a team stay unbeaten is exactly why I came here in the first place.