Personal Statement
As you may have read my name is Justin Hernandez. I am 17 and have a big opportunity. some people dream about playing collage football and I have the chance to do that. its been a big goal of mine and i am not stopping here. I have been playing football for about 13 years and the feeling when your out on the field on a game day is amazing, the adrenaline starts to pump and all u want to do is play football. I keep setting goals and when I complete one that gives me the drive to do more and accomplish more. I wont stop until I accomplish all of my goals. I weight train 3-4 times a week and given that I am only 17. I have a lot more to come. I try my very best in school, sports and other activities.
Please read!!
Dear Mr. /Mrs,
Cc: Football Coach,Colleges NCAA,NFL,
Subject: STUDENT’S AWARENESS/ Justin Hernandez / My story
I am currently a student in Delaware valley High School 11th grade.I wish to share my life officially for a consideration during the mean academic time. The main aim is to share my life situation with the college administration and football coaches. My problem started from the background part of my life when in 2004 my mother was pregnant with twins. She was told very early on she will most likely miscarry both baby’s She was able to hold on to us in till about 51/2 months and went in to labor. My brother was born first who only survived an hour after birth. I was delivered next and was immediately put on a respirator and transferred to a top children’s hospital. They told my mom I had a 10 percent chance of survival. I had blood transfusion, chest tubes, feeding tubes. I had to even be cut open for narrowing of the stomach . I fought for the next 3 months in the neonatal ICU. Some how I was lucky enough to make it out of the hospital. Over the next couple of years I was advised to go through a number of therapies. Among the therapies was a physical, occupational, and speech therapy which where to train my muscles since I could not crawl nor walk. This problem was associated with several disadvantages according to the doctor’s reports one of which I was diagnosed at 4 years old with Aspergers. They told my mom I would probably never talk or socialize in the real world.
My mom tried her best to see me active always. She took me to peewee football club so that I can socialize and play with other children but instead I would stand in the middle of the field up to the full time of game or rather sit as the game continues. She continued to assist me regularly to play football and as time moved on she could see some change in my engagement with the football playing. I joined the football team in junior high school. I was in special education inclusion classes. I struggled academically and socially in school. I always had an issue but there was one place I seem to be excelling and that was football. It started to become my routine. Also my size gave me an advantage. I continued to play football By the ninth grade, I was put on the varsity team. Academically I was coming a long. Football was becoming a savior for me. I needed this all year round. Now on my off season I was training. Lifting weights and also joined track. I was thinking how I wanted to go to college some day and play football. Now at this time I was still in inclusion special ED classes doing well. I express my interest to the coach about playing in college he then went on to explain the process with the NCAA requirements. All of my classes would be ineligible for credits threw the NCAA. They were good enough to graduate high school just not able to go to a D1 or D2 school. I was really upset and lost some hope. I spoke with my coach and he said the only possibility was to make up all the classes in the summer. So at this point I had to try what ever was possible. So I took all my special education classes during the regular year passing all and then in the summer taking all regular education classes to gain the credits passing them all. So basically 9 and 10 grade I did twice. Now entering 11 grade my mom said no more. I am withdrawing you from all special education classes against the advice of school counselor, I am proud to say this school year I made honor roll in all regular Ed classes and I am currently caught up on all my NCAA credits. Now my Gpa is not a 4.0 but I have worked extremely hard to get where I am today. I have even maintained a job got a drivers license, boat license and motorcycle license. My next step would be a pilots license. I alway loved aviation.
Today I am 6.5 1/2 335 pounds. I still have one more year in high school. I feel I am ready to play at a college level. Im looking to go beyond college with football. I know a lot of kids want that too. I just feel with all the fighting I have done to get to where I am today will show any school or coach my ambition to work and succeed. I do feel because of my disability I had an unfair disadvantage threw the NCAA and possibly colleges. This is why I’m writing this hoping someone listens. Im trying to make a story of my success. It may seem crazy to some but is so real to me. I am really not a social media person. I do not have Facebook, Twitter etc. everyone is encouraging me to make one so I can be seen. I did create a profile threw the NCAA. I do have many college football coaches reaching out to me and I appreciate them all. Where ever I decide to go I will give a 110 percent in football and academically. I truly believe football saved my life. People with Aspergers usually become very obsessed with something and for me it was football. I thank my mom for never giving up. I know there were times she cried because kids and even some coaches laughed and would tell my mom this is not the right sport for him. She held her head up high these days as I exceed past all the kids I played peewee football with. I know she trying to be humble but they did things that didn’t hurt me but my mom felt the pain. When Im on the line now all I see is protecting her. I think of the quart back being her. No one is getting threw.
I am hoping for some special consideration when applying to some top colleges that require a 4.0 GPA. I want them to see the whole picture. I also appreciate any one who reads this letter to the end
Thank you.
Yours Faithfully,
Justin Hernandez
908-922-2375
