FELIPE DASILVA '22 Recruiting Profile

Playing soccer led me to where I am today and who I've become as a person. I hated being inside, so I went outside whenever I could. I was the first one out the door, mostly to play Futbol or "soccer". Soccer is a significant influence on Brazilian culture and in my life as well. I started at a young age playing with my two older brothers in the streets of Brazil in Feira de Santana, Bahia. I learned a lot from playing with them and the other players in Brazil. But it wasn't the best place to be, so we moved to America, where I continued to play, and I even joined a local team in West Hempstead, NY. I was a gregarious kid, so that’s probably why when I finally started elementary school, making friends wasn’t as hard for me as it is for many people. The language barrier made it difficult, but there was one interest that we had in common that wasn’t affected by this. We all played soccer. Playing together was enough to make us very close, and they helped me understand more every day. Even to this day, we are still friends, we all play on the high school soccer team, and our bonds are unrivaled. I've played with guys two times and even three times older than me because of my older brothers. Even at a young age, I was still able to hold my own against them. But they gave me the experience I needed that I still use today. I've also worked with great coaches and teams. I still got room to grow and, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to be where I am today. That's why I work hard every to be the best I could be academically, athletically, and my nature. My goal for the future is to play soccer for as long as I can to see where it could take me, but I also have the ambition to become a physician assistant and help my family financially.