Personal Statement
My parents have always instilled in me (both verbally and through their actions) that being considered a “success” in life is based on three things: Working hard and striving for excellence in everything you do, being considerate to others and "paying it forward" when given the opportunity, and that real or perceived set backs are just bumps in the road that are meant to help you learn and grow.
Up until middle school, I was very introverted, mostly because of a speech impediment that made me very self-conscious, and it certainly was not easy to try to go unnoticed since I have always been the biggest kid in my class! I had a very noticeable stuttering problem that through years of speech therapy I have overcome. Being on the High School Football team brought out competitiveness in me that i didn't know existed and quickly helped me become more extroverted. While I did not get a lot of play time my freshman year while attending Eagle Academy Queens, I made sure I was one of the most dedicated and hardworking players during practice and my coaches noticed and rewarded me for my efforts by allowing me to play in a handful of Varsity games during that season. Every time I got on the field, even if for only a short time, I made sure my presence was known. I started my sophmore year of high school at Jamaica Gateway for the Sciences High School. My coach made me a co-captain because of the work ethic and positive attitude I brought to the team. I was a starter and played offense and defence in 8 games that season, and ended the season with 38 tackels. I moved up to Varsity this year and completed the 2017 season with the following stats: 9 games played/46 tackles/5 Sacks/3 Fumble Recoveries. I have been named a 2017 All Borough Player and 2017 All City Player (DT) as well as 2017 MVP of my HS team.
My dream is to play football in college with an established program while I seek a degree in Business or Communications. I look forward to attending several different camps this spring and summer to continue to improve my technique and to gain exposure to the various college football programs.