My name is Kayden James Manasco and I’m 17 years old and a Senior at Ohio County High School in Hartford Kentucky. I play defense on the Varsity Soccer Team, including being backup keeper. Previously I had played on the Middle School and Junior Varsity teams since I was in sixth grade. I also run track, competing mostly in long jumps and hurdles. I started playing soccer when I was six years old when my family and I lived in New Albany, Indiana with the YMCA Club Teams. When we moved to Hartford, Kentucky in the Fall of 2014, I started playing with the local youth soccer club.
I, and my two young siblings, were placed in foster care when I was four years old. My birth mother and her boyfriend at the time were put in jail and she eventually surrendered her parenthood rights. My birth father was Guatemalan and he was also in jail at the time and also surrendered his rights. When I was six years old, I and my younger brother and sister were adopted into our current family. We have been with them over 10 years now.
I really enjoy the game of soccer because I like competition, working with my teammates, love the practice aspects of the game to stay focused on being a better player. I also enjoy scouting our opponents and provide an overview for my fellow defensive players. I strive to stay grounded and try not to get upset or flustered when we are not winning, willing to learn from failure, but striving to win. I love working with a diverse group of players and learn about their different cultures, especially those from Hispanic backgrounds, since I never knew my birth father and am curious about that. I strive toward having a good attitude toward hard work and dedication of my team to reach my goal of playing soccer in college. I would love to coach soccer one day as well as teach physical education and I believe if I were able to continue playing soccer in college for a team, even as a walk on, this would be important in growing my skills in that area.
In the past years, I have enjoyed working with the kids during our coach’s annual soccer camps. I realized I really enjoyed working the kids and coaching them.
I have played on futsal teams in the winter as well as Owensboro area club teams to help improve my skills in the off-season, as well as participating in track to keep in condition. The extra work has paid off as in 2021 I received the Best Defensive Player for my JV team!
Some of my weaknesses are not communicating enough with my teammates during the game and continuing to improve my left foot kicking skills. My parent’s tell me my strengths are my service attitude; being willing to do whatever is necessary for the team, from gathering up the practice balls and putting them up, to providing rides to practice and games for teammates whose parent's don't support their participation, to going with my teammates to convince a player who had left the team to return, even though it might mean less playing time for me, but it was best for the team.
I registered with NCSA when I signed up for the University of Kentucky Soccer Camp with my team. But, due to unforeseen reasons, the coach had to cancel our participation. I really hated that, but it was out of my control. In 2021, I attended Soccer Camp with my team at Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky. However, that was the first soccer camp I attended since Middle School did not attend camp with the Varsity and JV teams and then Covid hit.
Thank you for your attention and please let me know if I can let you know anything else. Here is a recommendation letter from my former High School Coach, Alex Tungate:
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