- 2016 Highlights
Personal Statement
Family and sports are two things that have always been important to me. I can remember watching sports with my grandfather when I was little. Seeing what an influence this had on me, my parents, who have always been supportive of my passions, signed me up to participate in every sport available. My first opportunity to play recreational soccer was at the age of four. As I got older, the variety of sports I played grew smaller. Soccer started to become an all-year sport for me, and eventually I was invited to play on a competitive travel team. By middle school, my passion for soccer grew to the point that it was the only sport that I wanted to play competitively. I soon realized that soccer was my true love and that my ultimate goal was to play soccer at the college level.
Another thing that has shaped me as a person and impacted how I live my life is that I was diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis when I was 9 years old. At times it was difficult because I didn’t want others to treat me differently because of my disease, so I tried to keep it a secret. I soon learned that if I wanted to be successful I was going to have to be disciplined in the ways I spent my time and my energy. In many ways, having arthritis has helped me. Years of daily medications and physical therapy have taught me the importance of organization, time management, and self-discipline. I also have a strong work ethic because I have always been determined to be competitive, even if it meant taking on a tougher work load, at school and on the field. My family and friends say that I have always had to work harder than the other kids on my teams, but I have never known anything different. I have lived most of my life with arthritis. My goal is to eventually work in physical therapy and sports medicine. I want to help others experience success, no matter what they are fighting through, just like I have.
