Andrea Rivera '22 Recruiting Profile

I am determined to develop my career in the field of sports medicine and psychology. My experience as a sports athlete has made me realize that we need to be physically and emotionally healthy to thrive and flourish. The balanced conjunction of both is what enables a drive to the well-being of any athlete. As such, I am exploring studies in Psychology and Sports Medicine. After I finish my master's degree, my goal is to become a psychologist that works with athletes or work in sports medicine, integrating psychology as a force to their physical well-being. 

The same way I see a connection in our emotional state, physical state, and vice versa, I understand that nothing and no one can succeed when working alone. Perhaps it is the result of having two siblings and that we are only one year apart from each other, so we learned to work as a team to get what we wanted at a very young age. We knew that as three, we were more potent than individually. And if you ask my parents, they will say it worked. Consistently, I am selected to be the team captain. When it happens, I continue to validate that this opportunity comes because of my ability to listen, consider the team's needs and interests, and know that Soccer or any sport is not an I game but a We game. I admit that I am very competitive and driven; however, I am also aware that to be a good team player, I need to support, challenge, and inspire others to be their best. Just last week, I was invited to travel with a team that I do not play on. The coach advised me that it was a critical game, and he felt that I could motivate and influence the team with my positive attitude, optimism, and sense of joy. I never thought of myself as a motivator or influencer until he advised me.

Experiences like this one remind me that we can never stop learning, especially about ourselves and others. For years, my family and friends have always said that I am honest, fair, candid, and a natural leader. They also say that I am open to trying new things. A testament to it is that I decided to move from the tiny island of Puerto Rico to go to IMG Academy when I was 15 years old. I decided to embark 1,209 miles away from home even though I did not know anyone. I also was not sure how I would handle the language barrier, the schoolwork load, or the cafeteria food; however, I knew it was the opportunity to become better at Soccer. Now some people laugh because I like speaking English more than Spanish, and during the breaks, I love to accept all my school friends' invitations to their homes as a chance to learn and see more places before I graduate High School.  

Every day I am reminded that it has been one of the best decisions in my concise life. IMG Academy has helped me be more versatile in the field, be a better teammate, accept all kinds of feedback, be more committed to my athletic responsibility, work hard, and identify my strengths and weaknesses. In my academics, I have also learned to work harder, ask questions, ask for help, manage time well, and exceed my own expectations. Last year, while I was taking Pre-Calculus Honors class, I was very upset over the possibility of ruining my 4.0 GPA. I had a conversation with my teacher, and her advice was to stay in the class and continue to show responsibility, hard work, and effort. Needless to say, I ended the class with a 4.0, knowing a lot about a topic I did not enjoy and reminding myself that any great result takes a lot of great effort, uncertainty, and dedication.