Hello everyone,
I am Sota, an active freestyle footballer.
First, let me share some basic information and my background.

Basic Information▼

• Active freestyle footballer

• Traveled to around 20 countries

• I love the IT field, creating websites, and editing videos

Background▼

In this article, I will discuss my past setbacks as a theme.

I will narrate my journey chronologically, from my middle school years to my major setback at 16 years old, and my path leading up to the present day.

I hope that my story can give courage to those who are comparing themselves to others and feeling inferior, or those who feel stuck and frustrated with their current situation.

Of course, I've designed this article so that even those who aren't facing such issues can gain some insights into their future life. I would be happy if you read until the end.

More Details▼

Growing up pampered in my early years

What my 13-year-old self taught me was: "Don't assume you're not intelligent"

During my secondary school years, I was the typical "top student".

My grades were good, ranking 2nd in my year, and at worst, 10th. I scored a deviation value of 73 on mock exams.

I don't have any stories of mischievous behaviour, wild episodes with girls, or smoking cigarettes; none at all.

I was the epitome of a diligent student, always scoring over 90 points in every subject, attentively listening in class, and properly submitting assignments.

However, I wasn't just a study machine; I played football and even participated in matches as a first-year student against third-year students. I also had a girlfriend, although I can't remember what kind of person she was anymore.

This was my basic way of thinking at the time, and it hasn't changed since.

I don't have any special innate memory skills or extraordinary calculation abilities. I simply believe that the results I achieved were due to the fact that I spent more time on football practice and studying than others.

It's impossible for me to come up with a brand new concept without any study time, but if I know the way of thinking and the mechanism of memory, I can deduce the optimal solution.

In the end, it's just a matter of knowing or not knowing.

So there's no need to be pessimistic about not being intelligent. If you don't know, all you have to do is learn.

I went on to attend a prestigious football high school in Saitama Prefecture.

Things might have changed now, but at that time, there were 40-50 students in each year, with the least skilled players still being at the regional selection level, and the best players being considered for J-League contracts.

I thought that if I could excel in this environment, I could definitely aim to become a professional.

However, once I started attending the school, I realised that having a 70-point score deviation was quite normal, and to be honest, I wasn't one of the top-performing students.

Even though I was undoubtedly a high achiever in secondary school, my high school performance was average at best, and I was tormented by feelings of inferiority every day.

On the other hand, having my overconfidence shattered at a relatively early stage in life had a positive impact on my future, as I no longer became complacent or thought too highly of myself.

My biggest setback came at the age of "16".

Although I managed to pass the entrance exams and join the prestigious football team, a serious injury at 16 forced me to give up on my dream of becoming a professional football player.

I can barely remember that time anymore.
To be more precise, it might be because the pain was so unbearable that I'm subconsciously refusing to recall it.

As I write this, fragmented memories of that painful time resurface, and it seems that I fell onto my left elbow during practice.

There was a dull, crushing sound as the bone broke, and the next thing I knew, I was being rushed to the hospital.

I woke up from the anaesthesia to find myself alone in a dark, quiet hospital bed, staring at the ceiling.

I'm not a medical expert, so I don't understand the complex terminology, but in simple terms that even a primary school student could understand, my condition was "worse than a fracture."

I wouldn't be able to play contact sports for a while.
If I were to fall or bump into someone, the consequences could be irreversible.
My injury would probably not be fully healed until just before I turned 18.
By then, I would be in my final year of high school.
Even if I were to fully recover, it wouldn't be easy to make up for a gap of more than six months.

Even now, as an adult, I sometimes find myself ruminating on those memories.

I was overwhelmed by the intense pain in my left elbow and negative emotions I had never experienced before, and I heard something snap inside me.

After being discharged from the hospital, I was unable to attend school for a while.

Humans are truly fragile.

Physical wounds may heal over time, but emotional scars may never fade.
Whether one can turn those emotional scars into a positive force or let them lead to self-destructive behaviour depends on the individual's capacity, I think.

Now, I am able to use the pain and experiences of that time as fuel for my motivation and hard work, but unfortunately, it was a reality that was too heavy for my 16-year-old self to bear.

After much deliberation, I quit football at that point.
It was undoubtedly the hardest decision of my life.

I'm well aware that there were mixed opinions about the choices I made back then. I understand that it might have looked uncool to others.

However, I have no regrets about my choices, as they ultimately led me to my second life in freestyle football. Moreover, through this sport, I've made many wonderful friends all around the world.

And so, my first life came to an end here.

At the age of 17, I had various struggles: not being able to go to school, doing rehab after school, conflicted feelings about wanting to continue playing football yet never wanting to play again, and battling the pressure of exams due to attending a prestigious school.

I would dream of being swallowed by dark, murky waters when I slept, my eyelids would twitch from stress, tears would suddenly flow on my way to the nearest train station, and my heart palpitations wouldn't stop.

It was clear that my mental and physical health were suffering.

I don't think I had any real goals. I wondered why I even joined this school. I had no real desire to attend a specific university, pursue a specific profession, or become passionate about any hobbies.

While I was considered above average in a general group, I had no unique strengths or qualities among the truly exceptional. I questioned what I had worked so hard for throughout secondary school.

Every day was incredibly difficult.

Even after graduating from high school, my spirits never lifted, and I lived like a corpse every day.

I went to a part-time job I had no particular interest in, never spent the money I earned, never went out with friends or attended social gatherings, and spent all my time alone in a dark library.

At 19, the world I saw was entirely grey and devoid of any sparkle, tormented by a strong sense of anxiety and inferiority that I would end up spending my life as a corporate slave.

Every day, I thought about such things.

My life took a turn at age "20".

Embarrassingly, I had been living a lazy and self-indulgent life until just before turning 20, but I didn't want my life to end like this! I couldn't stand wasting away like this! With that mindset, I started freestyle football at the age of 20.

What led me to start freestyle football? Even if you ask me, I honestly can't give a clear answer.

But one thing is certain: I had a strong, unwavering determination to change my current life.

Perhaps due to my previous football experience, even after quitting football, I frequently watched amazing football skill videos of Neymar, Marcelo, and Japanese player Inui on YouTube. I think that was the initial catalyst.

I can't quite put it into words, but it was just so cool...!

Football enthusiasts might have various criticisms about Marcelo's lack of defence, but it's undeniable that his footwork is world-class, and even those unfamiliar with football can't help but be excited by Neymar's dribbling and flashy footwork.

With that, I began practising using my old, worn-out training shoes and a regular football not designed specifically for juggling.

Although I had played football, football and juggling are entirely different sports. Naturally, at first, I couldn't even do basic juggling, let alone fancy tricks.

I started with simple juggling practice, then practised every day, gradually improving my juggling stability.

I genuinely enjoyed making progress little by little each day. I devoted all my free time to practice and became completely absorbed, losing track of time.

I believe the saying "love makes you better at something" is absolutely true.

I didn't start with grand goals; instead, I just genuinely enjoyed practising and threw myself into it.

Ichiro, a professional baseball player, once said,

Though the sport is different, he is one of the figures who has influenced me, and his phrase still resonates in my heart.

Gradually, I became able to perform more tricks.

Another aspect of me is the "self-proclaimed pro of traveling abroad."

By the age of 21, I had travelled to about 20 countries.

At the age of 20, I travelled to Canterbury, England (about an hour from London), then to Paris, France, Bangkok, Thailand, Hanoi, Vietnam, Brussels and Antwerp, Belgium, Amsterdam and Utrecht, the Netherlands, and more.

When I first went to the UK, I didn't have a clear reason; I just wanted to go and was interested in the experience.

The month I spent in the UK was incredibly happy and fuelled my desire to see and explore more countries around the world.

There's no need for a special reason to start something new; just give it a go.

This is a mindset I currently value highly because the opportunity cost of not taking any action can lead to immense regret later on.

When travelling to Sweden, I didn't use a travel agency; I just bought a one-way air ticket for 40,000 yen and travelled around Europe by land.

During my travels, I've experienced sleeping rough in Italy, performing on the streets in Hungary and receiving money, being verbally abused, being called "Chinese" and asked for money, giving a football as a gift to a Belgian child, and more.

Not only have I seen beautiful tourist destinations that everyone admires, but I've also seen the dark and cruel reality of people begging on the streets, buildings riddled with bullet holes, and children forced to live on the streets in the cold.

Changing the world's reality by myself is difficult, but I think that if my performance can inspire and give courage to others, it would be a wonderful and dreamy thing.

With just one football, I can give children a thrilling experience and excite the local people. I've acquired the ability to make this happen and the necessary skills.

All that's left is to do it.

Post-return - present

After returning to Japan and up until now, I've challenged myself by self-learning iOS app development, trying my best on TikTok, participating in sales internships, learning video editing, studying web application development with Rails, and making the most of the so-called gap year.

Although I couldn't win, I participated in a round-the-world contest.

I worked with a famous TikToker (who had only 100 followers back then but now has over 100,000), collaborated on projects, practised freestyle football with friends, and went on shooting trips. It was a modest but happy time, immersed in my hobbies.

As I turned 22, I started working as a front-end engineer at a sports-related start-up.

I can't disclose the name, but I'm truly grateful to the CEO who picked me up at that time. Of course, I'm also thankful to my colleagues and seniors who mentored me as an engineer.

If I ever start my own business and it grows significantly, I would like to repay the kindness of the CEO who took care of me back then.

After twists and turns, I now work at an influencer marketing company.

Honestly, I think the people I'm involved with now are the best. Having shared so many ups and downs, they feel like family.

There are many challenges, but the stimulating and educational days I experience outweigh them.

The wonderful friends and valuable experiences I've gained are treasures to me.

Lastly, thank you for finding me as I am now.

Many people act as if they've supported me since the beginning after I've become famous. I'm genuinely grateful for those who discovered me when I was still an unknown, developing individual.

If you gained new insights or learned something from this article, it would be the greatest joy for me.

I'm still inexperienced, but I would be grateful if you could continue to support me.

Thank you very much for reading this to the end!