Jorge Ortega '19 Recruiting Profile

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been dreaming of the day that I can step onto a soccer field in front of thousands and thousands of fans defending the badge of my favorite team, FC Barcelona. I’ve dreamed of irreplicable moments such as scoring the goal that would clinch the Champions League title for Barcelona, or playing in the World Cup final hoping to make history for Mexico. To have even the chance of making this dream a reality would be enough for me to drop everything and chase that long-held dream. Soccer was one of the very few things that I was able to bring from Mexico over to the United States when I was only 5 years old - and as such, it brings me a sense of familiarity and comfort where there is none to be found otherwise. I feel at home when I'm on the pitch or with a ball at my feet. I like to immerse myself in the game, and treat it as if it was the only thing that exists at that moment. Nothing compares to the feeling of making a cutting pass through the opponent's defense, giving an assist to a fellow teammate, or of scoring a last minute goal.

Soccer has taught me many valuable qualities and skills that have helped me throughout my life. Through the sport, I've learned the ability to communicate efficiently to those around me and to coordinate (and execute) plans as a team. I've also learned how to work with people in order to achieve a common goal, and how to step up and take leadership when something is either not going to plan or if there is no one to follow / look up to. Furthermore, I firmly believe that soccer has shaped me into an incredibly hardworking individual. I've learned and developed the habit of achieving whatever I set my mind to, whether that be single handedly winning the ball back from the other team, finishing that last workout set at the gym, or organizing a soccer tournament at my school all on my own. This motivation and drive to succeed has also made its way into my academic life. Whenever something is too easy, I like to challenge and test myself to the limit. This is why I decided to take a total of 15 AP classes throughout my academic career along with 8 Dual-Credit classes. Although those classes can definitely get a little overwhelming at times, I always make sure to turn in every assignment, pass every test with a near-perfect score, and to give it my best shot when I don't understand something. Soccer has made me into a leader, and it has helped me grow as a person - something that I'm forever thankful for.

For now, I'm part of an FC Dallas Youth team where I'm actively looking to better my abilities. I currently play as an attacking midfielder / forward, but I do plan to get training on other positions, especially as a defender, so that I can become a more well rounded player and truly be the best I can be. I see every practice and every game as an opportunity to improve myself so that one day I'll be able to make my hobby my career.