Personal Statement
What does your program need from me? Do you need a tenacious, physical, and fearless keeper? Whether it's coming off my line and taking contact to grab a ball at the feet of a forward, or moving in traffic to bring down a cross, or just flat out flying to deflect a top-corner, it's what I love and what I work hard to develop to make my team and my own skills better. I have earned the nickname "American Airlines" for just that reason. To improve and to get to find the next level of potential academically and athletically it takes a tremendous amount of hard work, sacrifice, and commitment. Over the years that's required attending multiple camps and spending hours early on weekday and weekend mornings, and late afternoons working drills.
Development happens best by working closely with many great goalkeeping coaches, most recently former Jamaican National keeper Ryan Thompson, when he relocated to Austin a number of years ago. Through our workouts Coach Ryan has pushed my game to a higher level as a keeper physically, tactically, mentally, socially, and strategically. The more work I've put in, the more opportunities opened up. My journey never began at the top, but any success I've achieved has been by working each year to develop and overcome challenges, and now I have the opportunity to play internationally with outstanding players from all over the US against some of the best in Germany as a member of the Hertha ISA team. For me, nothing is taken for granted and every new opportunity needs to be earned.
I am personally inspired by one of the greatest U.S. goalkeepers ever, Tim Howard, and his story of overcoming Tourette's to achieve at the highest Professional level. In my own life I have embraced the challenges of Tourette's, never using it as an excuse, but as an incentive to work both academically in the classroom and athletically on the field as much as I am capable. In Tim Howard's autobiography his doctor describes his condition as a gift that allows him to see the field and react in a different way than others to make impossible saves. It's an inspiration that gives hope for kids that only had the uncertainty of a strange condition to deal with while working through forming their lives.
Love of God, family, and team bring me tremendous joy and desire to be my best. I truly believe that hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard, and I live my life that way through training and during games. Personally there is no greater feeling than stopping goals for my team and giving the team a chance to win. I want to keep that feeling in my life as long as I am blessed to have that opportunity.
