Parsa Setayesh '23 Recruiting Profile

My name is Parsa. My parents are Persian immigrants, but I was born and raised in a border city in south Texas. Persian and Mexican cultures and languages have become a part of life, as well as being an American. I have learned to appreciate different cultures, diversity, and have respect for hardworking people from all walks of life. In addition, I have a great passion and appreciation for the game of soccer. Not only I have trained and played vigilantly since I was 4 years old, soccer has been my connection with my grandfather and uncles in Iran, my friends from Mexico, and most importantly with my dad. He has been present in every step of my progress, setbacks, and he has encouraged me and given me great knowledge of soccer. My best memories are from the games we have watched together, whether it is every Saturday morning at home, or going to the Brazil Worldcup in 2014, or Chelsey vs. Liverpool in London. I trained with a Mexican team, InterCups MX, and attended their camps in my hometown and in Mexico City. In 2017, I was selected to play with their 2004 team in Sweden, at four different tournaments in Piteå, Storjuscopen,  and Youth International Worldcup in Gothenburg, where we advanced to the semifinals.

All these trainings, connections, and memories have made soccer strongly intertwined with my life. At school, I have been a varsity starter, at the right wing, but since I have trained and played with both feet, I have sometimes played left, too. As a disciplined and dedicated player, I have never missed any practice or game. I have respect for my coaches and am still in contact with my first coach, for whom I now volunteer occasionally and help coach his 5-6 year old team. According to all my coaches, one of my strengths is that I am coachable. I listen and apply what they tell me. I am also described as “soccer intelligent”, that can read the game and play smart. I have done other sports, too, but not at the level that I have done soccer. I have a black belt in a Korean marshal arts, KukSool Won, where I competed and won several medals in the 4 years of training. I was the youngest to earn the black belt at that school, at the age 8. I played basketball in elementary and middle school, and played tennis for a couple of years. was in the cross country varsity team of my school last year.  However, the stable training, sport, and passion has always been soccer. 

I am also a student aspiring to become a physical therapist, like my dad. Both my parents are highly educated, my father is a doctor of physical therapy, and has been practicing for over 30 years. My mother is an educator, teaching mathematics at the university. They both set high standards for my sister and I and through that I have learned to study well and try my best in my classes. I have enrolled in dual enrollment classes since my highschool freshman year, and have earned over 25 credit hours in two years, and am currently enrolled in dual U.S. History, Calculus I, English, Biology and Bio Lab. I was accepted and have been a student of the STAMP program at my high school, pursuing the medical filed and taking classes for that path. I am a member of National Hispanic Institue, in which I have competed and now serve as a coach. I am a member of the RGV Ambassadors, and am OSHA and CPR certified. I am currently studying to take the SAT by the end of spring. 

My friends, teachers, coaches and family describe me as a compassionate and empathetic person. I am aware of difficulties that my teammates or friends might be facing and always offer help, even if it is just listening. I am humble and grateful that I have a family who have strongly supported me, but I know that not everyone has such blessing, so I have learned to always include others, and don’t let someone be bullied, excluded or ridiculed based on their physical or mental status, religion, language, sexual orientation, or any other factor. 

I am planning to take my learnings and training, academically and athletically, as well as the life lessons and values, to a higher education institute, where I can continue playing soccer and complete my academics studies to become a physical therapist. I will be a dedicated, respectful, and disciplined player and I will take the coaching advices and training seriously.