Eliyahu Thao '21 Recruiting Profile

My name is Eliyahu Thao.  I wanted to introduce myself and give you a glimpse into my soccer journey.  At the age of 5 I was introduced to soccer. Whenever I watched a soccer game it inspired me more to become an athlete myself.  I admired the players for their skills, dedication, and competitiveness. It helped me understand what real passion was for the sport by putting my experience and learning from the top players in the league. Through that passion came motivation for me to achieve my dream of one day of becoming a professional soccer player. 

I am currently a senior in high school and want to continue to play on the collegiate level.  I was on the varsity team since my freshman year as a midfielder.  I was a starter my sophomore year. Due to the pandemic I was unable to play my junior year.  I have continued training and perfecting my craft during this time.  I became a certified referee through the U.S Soccer Federation and have been a referee for three years.

My club experience I was selected for the Navy 02’ boys which play in the NPL and APL league in my age group. We placed second in our state division that qualified us for regionals in South Carolina my first season. Continuing on with my first year on the team; me and my team won a 01’ tournament playing up an age group. My second year for the club we won the State Cup and qualified to play Nationals in Denver, Colorado. 

I want to be able to play at the next highest level to challenge my skills and ability as a soccer player.. I also plan on majoring in Engineering with a minor in Management. Playing soccer has brought me many valuable life lessons.  Whether we won or lost as a team we were able to continue to work hard for the next challenge.  As an individual I would analyze how I played and seek advice from my coach, peers, and dad.  This allowed me to be able to learn new skills and analyze the game which I came to love.