Personal Statement
Since age five, soccer has been part of my identity. I've always relied on it as a stress reliever when feeling overwhelmed, leaned on friends I made through my team, and applied my soccer discipline to my school work. The leadership characteristics and responsibilities that I have developed playing soccer will be very valuable in many other aspects of life. Playing years of competitive soccer, the people I've met and relationships I've formed are also invaluable to me. Soccer has brought my entire family together, whether it was me growing up watching my older cousins play, my grandparents helping sell snowcones at a team fundraiser, or my entire family traveling to Spain to cheer my team on. The people I’ve met have had the same dedication and desires to succeed at the game and life as I do.
My identity has also been formed by the places soccer has taken me. I'm lucky enough that it has brought me to discover places all over the US and world. Whenever my team has the opportunity to travel for soccer, I love exploring the state or city and its landmarks with my family and my teammates when I finish my games. I’ve experienced National Landmarks like the Gateway Arch, tourist attractions such as Universal Studios and Downtown Disney, and natural wonders like the mountains of Arizona. I also explored colleges campuses in the cities soccer has taken me. Last summer, I was fortunate enough that soccer allowed me to visit another country when I played in Spain. It was extraordinary to compete against and meet other girls from around the world and see how their styles of play varied. I’ll never forget the friends I’ve made, the places soccer has taken me, and the skills I’ve developed from soccer. I’m looking forward to continuing the journey soccer has taken me on through college.