Personal Statement
For additional information, see my custom profile.
Latest News - Now, 2014-06-21, my STN club team is competing at the National Cup XIII Southeast Regional Championship. On 2014-06-08, at ODP Region I Tournament, my state team (PA West) finished in second place in Bracket A with a 2-1 record. On 2014-06-01, my NU Dynamo 95G team went undefeated at the Bloomsburg College Showcase. In April, I was an invited guest player for North Union United 95G Dynamo team. (In the four scrimmages that I supported, NU defeated Lock Haven University 3-1, tied York College 0-0 and 0-0, and defeated the ASA Blast 6-0.)
Referrals - Three of my soccer coaches and my strength coach have provided endorsements for my CaptainU player profile. They are also preserved in my custom profile.
Media - Discover my captioned sports photographic timeline, or enjoy a video montage instead.
Background - Since U11, I have been starting on two or three teams each season, often playing up to an older team. These teams have included the NU Dynamo 95 (U18G) tournament team, my primary club, STN Stealth (U16G); my secondary club, MCUSC Big Valley Fury; State College High School Little Lions Varsity; Mount Nittany Middle School Little Lions; and local Centre Soccer Association Blue Lightning travel league teams. Although I generally play center back, my coaches consider me a utility player since my experience includes center forward (9th grade) and center defender (10th grade) for the Little Lions varsity squad, outside midfielder for occasional STN Angon (playing up one year) tournaments, and goalkeeper for both my middle school and high school varsity teams.
State College High School Little Lions - After the fall season of 9th grade, I earned my varsity letter as a freshman playing center forward for coach Kevin Morooney. Our team won the 2012 PIAA District 6 championship, and “played in” (vs. Erie-McDowell) to the first round of the PIAA championships (AAA), losing to Seneca Valley. In all, we had a 15-6-1 record, with season-opening losses to the defending spring & fall state champions (Peters Township & Cumberland Valley). During the season, I scored six goals and had one assist (regular season stats). Below, I have linked local newspaper and television reports from the regular and post-season games.
In 10th grade, coach Kevin Morooney moved me to the Center Defender role, and appointed me as backup goalie. (Last year’s senior defensive line and goalkeeper all graduated.) We opened the season with two losses against the finalists from the 2012 AAA State Championship -- Peters Township and Cumberland Valley. Our goalie was concussed during the CV game, and the coach named me goalie for game three. While we unexpectedly lost game three in 2OT, we shut-out the next three opponents as I continued goalkeeping. In our first six games, I have started every game and played every minute. In our seventh game, with a 7-0 lead, the coach pulled me from the goal and substituted one of our JV goalies; minutes later, after a jersey change, I rejoined the defense on the next substitution. Later, our goalie unknowingly picked up a pass-back, and the opponent scored on the resulting foul inside the box, ending our shutout with a 7-1 final score. In our eighth game, I started as goalkeeper and earned a save, then returned to my Center Defender position where I earned an assist in a 3-0 win. During my stint as the starting GK, I allowed 3 points (all in my first game) and had 15 saves in six games. I returned to my Center Defender role for the remainder of the season, playing every minute except briefly during Senior Night. We won our PIAA District 6 championship again, as well as our District 6 versus District 9 “play-in” match versus Erie-McDowell. In the sweet-16 round of the State Championship, we lost to Peters Township in that first round by a score of 0-2. One goal was a long range free kick, and the other goal resulted from a corner kick. We finished the season with a 16-6 record.
For more information, contact head coach Kevin Morooney via [email protected] or 814-883-7583.
Olympic Development Program - I have been selected for the 2014 97G tournament team from my PA West region. Now I am practicing weekly with the team in Pittsburgh (Cranberry Township) during the month prior to the tournament.
In 2014, I am once again training with ODP, now with the newly-formed Mountain District ODP group. I recently completed the winter training and presently in the spring training session. Previously, I trained with the Pittsburgh-based ODP staff during the winter of 2011 and spring of 2012. My 6+ hour round-trip commute interfered with my school studies. I completed my commitment to the training, but chose not to renew any further involvement at that location.
For more information, contact head coach Lisa Cole via [email protected].
North Union United - In April of 2014, I was asked to support the NU Dynamo 95 (U18G) tournament team for a scrimmage versus the Lock Haven University girls soccer team. NU won 3-1. Afterward, the coach invited me back for three matches in York on 4/27. In our first match, NU tied the York College team#1 0-0. In our second match, NU tied York College team#2 0-0. Both were well-played games, on both sides of the ball. I suspect that team#1 was the starting line-up. In our third match, NU played a club team -- ASA Blast from MD -- and won 6-0. After a hard day’s work, it was a satisfying result. I will look forward to playing with them again.
For more information, contact head coach Jason Duke at [email protected] or 570-412-2936.
STN Stealth - For my primary club team, I generally play center defender. Historically, I have taken most free, corner, and penalty kicks, however, during my recent Edinboro tournament I was elected the primary receiver for corners and certain free kicks because of my ability to head the ball.
On June 2nd, we celebrated an undefeated 2013 season in CPYSL league play, giving up only two goals all season. I also scored my first header goal of this season in that final June 2nd game (from a corner kick). After significant personnel changes during the summer of 2012, this U16 season has been a welcome turnaround for our mostly-U15 team.
I first joined STN at age 11 and played on the U12 team coached by Anita Valerio. I have started continuously through my present team; in fact, quite often I am in for the duration of the game. My present Stealth team coach is Jon Arlet; previous coaches include Markus Rybak, Matt Hershey, and Anita Valerio.
For more information, contact head coach Rob Eaton via [email protected] or 570-295-6627.
MCUSC Big Valley Fury - After Anita Valerio left STN, I joined her new start-up team, Big Valley Fury, in the fall of 2010, together with other core players from our previous U12 team. On a whim, our team tried an indoor soccer tournament, and we eventually became National Championship finalists. Later that spring, we won the NJ College Bound Showcase, and that summer we attempted our first sand soccer tournament. The following summer, we dominated the same sand soccer tournament, winning both brackets.
Initially, BVF and STN were sanctioned by different organizations. After the first year, however, a change in the BVF’s sanctioning organization created player pass conflicts which prevented me from maintaining dual membership in both clubs. Since then, I have continued to support Anita and BVF as a guest player (for dates not in conflict with STN).
For more information, contact head coach Anita Young via [email protected] or 908-216-4752.
Mount Nittany Middle School Little Lions - During the fall seasons of middle school (7th-8th grade), coach Josh Price assigned me the goalkeeper position, asserting that he wanted the best athlete on the team in the goal. Although GK is not necessarily my desired role, I studied it diligently, complete with outside goalkeeper coaching assistance, and performed well. During 8th grade, I was often permitted to play the second half on the field as a center defender.
Centre Soccer Association Blue Lightning - I played for my local soccer organization for nine years, beginning as a U5 player. I started on the travel team (Blue Lightning) for coach Eric Nicholson for four years, beginning with my U10 season. U13 was my final season with CSA.
Other athletic experience includes the following high school, middle school, and club activities:
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Rugby During the spring season of 9th grade, I practiced with the rugby team, however schedule conflicts (w/club soccer) kept me from competing with the team. -
Volleyball During the spring seasons of middle school (7th-8th grade), I joined the volleyball team and specialized as setter and server. We won the league championship both years, and enjoyed an undefeated season in 8th grade. -
Gymnastics From ages 4-11, I was a competitive gymnast, earning a state championship on the uneven bars and finishing as a Level 8 gymnast.
I am a high honor roll student. I take a number of advanced classes, and have attended advanced math classes since third grade.
