- 2022 Spotlight
Personal Statement
In the 4th grade, I played rec soccer. My team fought all year to make the championship game and that championship game is my first real memory of playing soccer. In the last play of the game, I scored an off-balance two-footed goal for the win! My dad, the coach, threw his sunglasses in the air and hoisted me above his shoulders. That was my first taste of triumph in soccer. I was hooked.
During the summer after 8th grade I had a huge growth spurt. I had grown so fast that I experienced back pain as my muscles had not kept up with my bones and pulled my hips out of alignment. The spasms made it hard for me to run and cut. My parents and I thought it best that I sit out of summer training and allow the growth spurt to pass and take care of my body. When tryouts came around, I had missed many of the sessions, but remained committed to my goal of playing on the Junior Varsity A Team.
When teams were chosen, I was assigned to the Junior Varsity B Team. I felt I had worked hard enough to make A, and was disappointed when I didn’t make that team. I used this disappointment as motivation and trained every day after school, and emerged as a leader of the B team. I made sure no one worked harder than me on the field, off the field, or in the classroom. This hard work enabled me to dress for Junior Varsity A games by the end of the season and land a starting spot on Varsity my sophomore season.
At 6’4’’ and 205 pounds, I am a powerful on the field, but I also incorporate a great deal of finesse in my game. I use my strength, soccer IQ, and work ethic to give me an edge and bring respect to the beautiful game.
