Playing football with her company's team has helped the author develop both personally and professionally over four years. She learned that with effort and practice, she could improve skills like passing, kicking, and lifting the ball despite initial struggles. Participating also taught her the value of teamwork, as working together and trusting teammates to fulfill their roles led her team to win two championships against technically stronger opponents. The author takes pride in her accomplishments and hopes to continue playing and developing for many more years.

1. IE IMBA Application
Show us an activity you enjoy
doing. Tell us how you think it
contributes to your personal and
professional development.
Mavy Acevedo Tizón
Lima, Perú

2. One of the activities I enjoy doing the most is playing football
(also called soccer or association football). I actually enjoy doing
most sports; I was in the national swimming team in many
occasions, I played basketball during high school and university
and I also participated in many running competitions.
Me

3. Although I tried to play football during university because I was
good at many sports, I wasn’t very good at football, I had two
left legs. It was hard for me to balance myself in one leg and hit
the ball with the other; many times I wasn’t able to hit the ball.
Me

4. Football is a very popular sport in my country (mostly for boys,
but popular still), so the corporation I’ve been working for since I
finished university (Graña y Montero) hosts a football
championship every year between the companies it owns. So
because Human Resources knew I liked sports, they asked me to
join my company s team.
Me

5. At first I wasn’t very good, but I could run far more than the
other girls in the team, I never got tired. That alone made me
an important member of the team. So I started to like it. And I
started to train (which I had never done before), and I started to
improve my play. I learned how to pass the ball, and with
direction! I learned to kick it hard towards the arc.
Me
One day during training

6. Four years have passed (we are not professionals, we train a few
months each year before the championship) and I have learned
even to lift the ball while kicking it hard!!! All of these things I
learned to do are very important to me because they taught me
that that with effort, perseverance and practice, I can do
whatever I get my mind into.
Me

7. When I first started playing I never thought I could play this well
(I’m not a pro but I’m still very proud of myself). As soon as I
felt that all the training was working, and that I was actually
improving, I started to train even harder, to get earlier to every
workout session and to practice every minute I could, and it
worked and I am very proud of myself. I know I can still do
better, so I would really like to keep doing it.
Me

8. Another thing I learned with this game is teamwork. At first we
would all ran towards the ball, no matter where the ball was. But
this sport is about team work, and about everyone doing their
job within the team, and if everyone runs towards the ball at all
times, some spots are left empty.
Me

9. I was one of those persons because, as I have mentioned, I love
running and I never get tired, so I tried to do everything. I was
also like that sometimes personally; it was hard for me to trust
in other people to do their part in the job. But I’ve learned to
trust. I’ve learned that in order for the team to do its best,
everyone must do their part and let the others do their part as
well.
Me

10. We as a team have learned many things over the years,
especially team work, and it is teamwork that has made us win
two championships. There were teams with better players than
us, but it was our teamwork and all of our hours training that
made us the better team. I am really proud of myself of my
team and I hope to keep playing for many more years.
Me

11. Mi first teams…

12. My football T-shirts…

13. Me playing…

14. My team…