Personal Statement
My soccer experience over the last five years has been a story of progress and overcoming challenges. From 7th grade through 9th grade, growth-related knee issues, specifically Osgood-Schlatter disease, hampered my ability to make an impact on the field. Despite barely being able to run during these years, I continued to play at least two seasons a year (school in the fall, premier in the spring) and developed important technical skills that would benefit me later. My knee problems lingered for my 9th grade school season, and I played on the JV team. During the spring, my athleticism began to return and I enjoyed a successful premier season, being promoted to the starting lineup for the first time in several years.
The summer after freshman year, I worked hard and arrived at preseason in shape. I finished first overall as a sophomore in the various fitness tests our coach put us through. My preparation earned me the final roster spot on my school's varsity team. Early in my sophomore season, I played limited minutes. The central midfield was crowded, so I was forced to sub on as a wide midfielder. In a few early games, I didn't see the field at all. Despite my frustration, I stayed ready and continued to work hard in practice. About halfway through the season, I got the opportunity to come into a game center mid and never looked back. My coach saw the impact I had in the central role and played me there more and more as the season went on. By the end of the season I was the first man off the bench, playing over half each game and spelling some of our most important players for extended periods. In our playoff semi-final, an unfortunate loss where I was one of the few substitutes to see the field, I played approximately half the game and finished the game on the field.
The success of my high school season carried over into my premier season. My team had undergone a coaching change from the previous season. Under the new coach, I started every game and played nearly 100% of possible minutes. My new coach also named me captain partway through the season.
For my junior season, my biggest motivator was building on the triumphs of the previous season. I wanted to make sure I avoided complacency and arrived in shape once again. This season, I started every game at my preferred position of center mid. When we played a team with a particularly strong player, I was tasked with man-marking him. I went toe-to-toe with several New-England All-Stars and didn't allow a single goal when I was man-marking. I finished tied for 3rd on the team in points and we won the league championship. Barring five minutes to deal with a minor injury, I played the entirety of the championship game including overtime. At the end of the season, I was voted captain and most improved player by my teammates.
All I want now is the chance to keep my soccer narrative going in college. I come from a family of soccer players and I've been playing soccer myself since I was five years old. Soccer has been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. I've found success in high school and premier soccer and I won't back down from the adversity I'm sure to face at the next level. I'm ready for the challenge.
