- 2021 Highlights
Personal Statement
Sports has been a major part of my life and has given me invaluable experiences that have made me the person I am today. By the time I was 4 years old, soccer was a big part of my life. Many coaches told me that I had natural talent – that I was strong, fast, and had the ability to read the game. I knew I had these attributes, but I quickly learned that talent itself was not enough. I needed to be a team player, have empathy towards my teammates, be a leader and a motivator, and deal with fierce competition, critiques, and losing.
After 12 years of playing soccer, I have deepened this experience and gained confidence that has helped me both on the field and off. I am dedicated to my education, embrace challenges, and am very focused. As a junior, I am taking two dual enrollment classes from Georgia State University - advanced placement physics and pre-calculus. I volunteer for the Red Cross and am a member of student government and the Beta Honors Club. Recently, I was recognized in the Junior Honor Roll Principal’s List category.
When I was 13 years old, my coach selected me to join TOPSoccer, a community-based training program for young athletes with disabilities. My partner, an athlete I was teamed up with, could not stand up without assistance. Despite his challenges, he was as motivated to play soccer as I was, and I learned that obstacles are a matter of perspective. I volunteered with TOPSoccer for two years and won the most dedicated volunteer of the year, twice. These experiences motivated me to give back to the community and started my volunteer work.
I have always felt I had my feet in two worlds. My father is African American and my mother is from Nepal. I believe that being mixed race has made it easy for me to connect deeply with a wide range of people.
In April 2015, a massive earthquake hit Nepal. As a family we decided to help our community. We started a funding drive from friends, family, and the larger community for some necessities (i.e., clothes, toiletries, masks, and first aid kits), which we then distributed to families whose lives were upended by the earthquakes. In January 2020, I returned to Nepal and developed a partnership with a school and ran a free soccer camp for kids with disabilities and low socio-economic backgrounds.
My passion for soccer has given me the strength, focus and empathy to compete, to help others, and to challenge myself to excel in everything I do.
