Personal Statement
The eight years that I have played competitive soccer have truly been a journey—a journey full of learning at that. Starting at the bottom of my former club on the F team in U-9 and working my way to the top in two years serves as a representation as how I have grown as a soccer player through increasing age and thus, increasing competitiveness. Through the satisfaction of seeing how my hard work pays off and the several gleeful memories I have experienced through soccer has created a bond with soccer that has appeared to be unbreakable. I have had many difficult and frustrating times through my journey with soccer as I have been challenged by coaches I have not gotten along with, injury, and players that were difficult to play with. Though these times have sometimes left me questioning whether I should continue the journey, I have learned important aspects of character and persistence through these challenges. All these challenges made me realize how important of a role soccer has played in my life and how much it has contributed to my growth as a person and why soccer is an aspect of my life that I should keep for as long as possible. In addition to everything I have learned from soccer, I have had to opportunity to make long-lasting friendships with both coaches and players and make unforgettable memories both on and off the pitch.
As a player, I offer a plethora of skills and attributes. In my 2017 club season with Crossfire Premier, I played holding midfield which allowed me to demonstrate my good reading of the game, my defensive abilities, and the accuracy and the deliberateness of my passing. In my most recent high school season with Overlake, I played left center back in a 3-4-3 formation. We were very successful, only giving up 6 goals out of 20 games, including 0 goals conceded during the playoffs. Playing center back allowed me to show my ability of winning balls in the air, my defensive awareness, my ability to effectively run in to and produce from an open space on the field, and my physicality on the ball and defensively. In previous years, I have played on the wing and center forward for teams, yet I was not successful as I did not have the speed and touch that I have today. In our opening showcase this year for ISC Gunners, Eddie played me on the attacking wings and center forward where I found much success scoring 4 goals in 4 games, including a hat trick in one. I found that skills I had acquired from the high school season at center back were applicable to how I play on the wing and center forward, especially anticipation of where the ball is going to be and getting the first step to the ball. I look forward to seeing how I play in the more attacking positions this season and continue to utilize my speed, first touch, and finishing skills that have developed over the years. Additionally, being 6 foot and 170 pounds gives me the height to compete for airballs without losing the ability to keep other players off the ball. In the past two years of playing, I have discovered my versatility as a soccer player and I hope to use that to bring my play to the next level and continue to grow as a player.
As I made my way up the ranks at Crossfire Premier, I had the opportunity to be the captain of several teams. Through being the leader of many teams, I took note of the influence I had on the way others played. If I played selfishly and tried to dribble excessively and ineffectively, so would everybody else. I saw this mainly through me having more positive influence on the team, given that I have always played with the goal to move the ball quickly, especially while playing holding midfield. I noticed that as soon as I consistently started playing like that, my teammates would start doing the same and we would move the ball around well. Though I have not had the opportunity to be in a leadership role being an underclassman on varsity the past two seasons and moving clubs the past two seasons, I have been led by captains that, through my observation, have taught me many important aspects of being a leader. I believe that in addition to my character, persistence, and style of play serves as a desirable leadership quality, I also have a good level of understanding of what makes a good leader including balanced authority, widespread respect, and a firm understanding of the influence on the team a leader has. If put to the task, I believe that I can bring all these qualities to the table to become a good and successful leader.
I am fortunate enough to have a mother that has given me the ability to get a prestigious education at The Overlake School, a college prep school in Redmond, Washington. I have been at Overlake since 5th grade and have kept good grades through my time there. Thanks to the stress the school puts on students through middle school on habits (note-taking), I have developed essential note-taking skills that have allowed me to fully absorb information and set me up for success for tests. While at Overlake, I have found a passion for singing through participating in choir every year since middle school except 7th grade. I intend to continue taking part in choir until I graduate and hopefully through college. I get a long well with all teachers as well as I put maximum effort in to all my classes, even if I may not be the biggest fan of the class or teacher.
One of my biggest passions besides soccer is entrepreneurship. In the past year, I have started two small businesses that I run with the capital from my mom and some of my money from working a job as a referee. I hope to launch a clothing line this summer and continue my other clothing reselling business. In addition to business, I also enjoy working out and seeing how I grow physically thanks to the training. When I have the chance, I love a good adventure and experiencing unique activities. During the winter I enjoy snowboarding and I intend to reteach myself how to ski.
My versatility and persistent attitude as a player is what sets me apart from other players. Additionally, my ambition and strong work ethic in the classroom and in my other unique passions are other key aspects that will not be found in many applicants.
I am ecstatic to continuing my journey through soccer and continue learning in the classroom!