Personal Statement
December 2016
Going into my junior year, I have been fortunate to be a part of a great soccer legacy at Yorba Linda High School. As the starting goalkeeper my sophomore year, I helped lead my team to the CIF Southern Section Championship and the CIF State Quarterfinal. Throughout the season I was placed in many pressured situations and intense games. In the 2nd Round of CIF, my team and I fought hard for 100 minutes, but the game ended in PKs. Within the seven years of the history of our program, the team had never won in PKs but that was about to change...Four of my teammates stepped up and made their shots, and I was able to save three of the five shots against me. The final whistle blew; we had just won in PKs for the first time! The quarterfinal game was an even bigger test against the reigning Division III CIF Champs. Remaining scoreless through another 100 minutes, we were faced again with PKs. Confident from the last game, my teammates stepped up and made shot after shot and I knew I needed to make at least 1 save to keep us in it. That save came along with setting a program-record high of 20 saves in one match...the final whistle blew and we had just defied the odds again.
I will always remember the big day of the CIF championship, not because there was a miraculous win but because it was a difficult loss. After being down a goal, my team was unable to come back, and we unfortunately lost 1-2 in regulation time. Though we were unable to win the CIF title, I walked away from that game with the realization of the incredible, history-making season. Despite not having the Champion plaque, I, as well as my other teammates, were recognized for our tremendous efforts for the season. I was honored to be named the Century Conference North Hills League Defensive MVP, only GK and 1 of 2 sophomores named to the All-CIF Team, and only GK named to the First Team All Orange County team (first time in program history for a first team placement). Even though I have physical accolades to remember this season, nothing will trump the unforgettable memories and experiences I had with this team. Now is the beginning of my junior season, and as the sole junior captain, I hope to continue to lead this team to greatness.
I feel my strengths as a goalkeeper are my understanding of the game, my leadership on and off the field, my ability to organize and effectively communicate with the back-line, and my overall consistency, agility, and quickness. I am looking for a program that will be a good fit for me athletically as well as academically. In preparation for the academic rigors of being a college student-athlete, I am currently taking 3 AP/honors courses and maintaining an unweighted 4.0 GPA and weighted 4.5 GPA.
I believe that I have the talent, the drive, the work-ethic, and the leadership to play at the collegiate level and make an immediate impact on any program both athletically and academically. Although I have grown up in Southern California, I am very open to attending college either within California or out-of-state. I am very interested in Physical Therapy/Kinesiology/Exercise Science and Environmental Science and would love to pursue a degree in any of these areas.
"I am too positive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful, and too determined to be defeated." - Unknown
