Personal Statement
Of all the experiences I have had while playing soccer, I can say with certainty that the most critical and shaping ones have been those in which I have failed. It is always incredible to achieve success, and luckily with hard work, I have been able to live marvelous moments thanks to soccer that I will never forget. However, the moments that have made those possible are those in which it doesn’t work out. As a 12 year old, I remember going outside in my backyard in Seattle, in the pouring rain, doing cone drills on the wet concrete trying not to slip, in order to work on my balance as I slipped in a game the previous day. I won’t say I was born with a naturally persevering spirit, or with hard work in my DNA, because I wasn’t. What I was born with was a desire to be the best, a hatred of losing and a love of soccer. When those things come together properly, I feel I am capable of anything. I know I am capable of anything.
Soccer is and has always been one of the most important things in my life. My father was a professional player in Algeria for USM Bel Abbes, and my brothers both played. My oldest brother Adam having trials for Dynamo Kyiv, FC Augsburg, San Jose Earthquakes, along with other professional clubs. I spent all of my childhood either watching the game, studying the game, or playing the game. I played for the likes of Eastside FC and Crossfire Premier in Washington State for my youth years. After a tryout in March 2018, I was offered to come play for and live at the Barca Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona. I moved to the academy in July 2018 and it has been incredible for my development so far. During my sophomore year in Arizona, I learned so much about soccer, about myself, and about growing up. I worked incredibly hard to continue to maintain a high standard for myself both in the classroom and on the pitch.
Off the field, I am committed to doing my absolute best in school, and finished my sophomore year with a 3.8 unweighted GPA at ASU Preparatory Academy. I am currently maintaining a 4.0 unweighted GPA at Bellevue college, while enrolled in classes such as English 101 and Psychology 100 as a 16-year-old. I am also working on my second rap album, to follow the release of my first album, "Destiny", which came out last year. Destiny is available on all listening platforms and overall has amassed around 20,000 listens. I have 6 years of chess experiences, and 5 years of experience in school choir. Additionally, I am currently writing a novel set in Paris, "The World or Nothing". I am not only motivating on the field athletically, but I am just as motivated off of it academically and creatively. I work hard to perfect anything I do, whether that is soccer, school, music, writing, or anything else. After a successful year at the Barca Residency Academy, I have recently moved home to Washington. I play at the 2001 age group on the best U19 club team in Washington State (Crossfire U19A) despite being born in December 2002. I am attending Bellevue College through the Running Start program and will be pursuing an Associate's Degree, which is expected to be completed upon my high school graduation.
