Moving can be stressful for anyone and it can be especially stressful for a nine-year-old, who left his friends and moved to the other side of the country.
At nine, Sangelo and his parents moved from Seattle, WA to Longmeadow. He left his friends, his school, his community and he began playing soccer to adapt (适应) to his new home.
"It helps you develop even more friends and you will be accepted by many people. You are not the new kid any more," Sangelo said. "With the soccer team, you show them your skills and people begin to like you."
Sangelo said soccer had taught him life lessons, such as the importance of teamwork. "You could have the best game of your life and still lose. You have to depend on one another. You push each other because everyone gets better as a unit. We win more, we feel better about ourselves, and friendship then forms," Sangelo explained.
About seven years ago, Sangelo was the new kid. Today, he is a successful student player who gives back to his community by being a referee for younger players. The players all agreed that Sangelo was quite fair and they always accepted the results of matches. Sangelo said the sport had played an important role in his life and he was always thankful for it.
