Personal Statement
Coming from Jamaica , soccer was everywhere. The island took it as its oxygen. I was never a fan of soccer , until I saw a match with Jamaica taking on the USA in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2005. From then , I have been watching soccer ever since. It was in the 5th grade when I started playing soccer , and at first , I was playing every position except goalkeeper. In Jamaica , high-school began in the 7th grade. I attended Wolmer's Boys High-school , and at 12 years old , I tried out for the U16 , but didn't make the team. I tried again in the 8th grade , and this time, I was fortunate enough to be picked. I was fortunate to have been picked to play U16 at just 13 years old and be a starter! I went on to help the team win the U16 division , but what truly opened my eyes , was the loss we took , after just winning the division , in the Nationals that we call , "All-island," (because the best urban school will face off again the best rural school). That loss opened my eyes to realize that everything isn't given at times.
I went on to play 2 more seasons in the U16 team , and at 16 I was able to play my final year in Jamaica for the U19 High-school squad. I learned so much about being competitive , both on an academic level , and on an athletic level. My first soccer season in the U.S was extremely different in terms of the level of passion and competition that was available for the players. This is the reason why I want a program to keep reminding me that nothing in life is given , just like that loss in U16 reminded me. I believe I have what it takes to compete at the college level not only because of skill , but because I know the importance between balancing schoolwork and sports. Being a starter in a winning U16 high-school team at 13 , has made me more mature , more reliable and more focused on what I want in life. Since then , I have received 10 honor rolls over the course of 5 years in Jamaica , and has also received 3 more honor rolls at Duval High. This is the reason why I believe I will be able to have an immediate and dominant impact.
