Personal Statement
In 2016 I was diagnosed with Osteochondritis. Osteochondritis is a degenerative knee disorder that if not caught earlier enough and addressed, results in permanent damage to the patella. To prevent this, I was forced to immobilize my leg and use crutches for 6 weeks and could not play any sports for 6 months. Prior to the diagnosis, I was playing both soccer and basketball year round. That 6 month period was very difficult for me physically and emotionally. I began to gain weight, lose muscle in my legs and started to feel depressed. When I was finally cleared to play again, it was the first time in my life that I had to really work hard for something. Sports had always come very easy to me. Now I had to work to get my strength and endurance back and get my confidence back that I could still play. I learned a lot about hard work and also how important sports and being part of team was to me.
I worked extremely hard, and when I returned to soccer I was named the captain of my club team. Our team started to climb in the rankings and in 2018 we rose to the number 10th ranked team in NJ and played the #1 team in NJ in the State Cup Finals. My coaches had always told me that I was a natural athlete, extremely coachable and a natural leader but that I needed to put the work in. This experience taught me what was necessary to put the work in and I have never taken it for granted since. My work ethic is now what I am most proud of. I take my soccer and my academics very seriously as I hope you can see by my 4.6 GPA. I am hoping to find the school that will fit both my academic and athletic potential.