Personal Statement
I am currently a 6ft3in, 175 lb. senior at Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg Florida. I came to Farragut after 2.5 years at my local public high school in Grayslake Illinois. Both my love for soccer and a need to improve my academic focus are what drew me to attending Farragut. I have always been completely dedicated to soccer. I have played with the Illinois ODP team, the Region II team, the Florida ODP team and the Region III team. I currently am on the Clearwater Chargers Development Academy team.
Growing up, I played many different sports and soccer was the sport I was most drawn to. The keeper position really moved me because it required consistency, determination, focus, skill and leadership, all qualities I saw in myself. A soccer team needs a keeper with all these abilities to be successful At many points during a game the offensive attack starts with the goal keeper, Defensively, I coordinate the team with vocal prompts. . At a very young age, I was determined to be the absolute best keeper I could possibly be.
For more experience and exposure I began participating in the U.S. Olympic Development Program. First I used it as a goal keeper training program and then continued to progress with the ODP program. I was determined to keep improving every year and in 2009, I was named a member of the Olympic pool team for my age group. I also continued to try out for a more competitive traveling soccer team. I continually explored competitive teams until finally settling with the nationally known Clearwater Chargers Development Academy. Upon joining each team, I focused on the starting position and what I needed to do in order to capture that position. My progress in soccer is one example of my determination. I strive to be the best that I can be. I am excited by what I have accomplished and am looking forward to challenges of the future. My next anticipated step is to play soccer at the collegiate level and I look forward to the challenge.
When it comes to soccer, I have always been able to push myself to be my best and keep a consistent aggressive training regimen. I have mastered the art of intense training. I have also enjoyed working with teammates on doing the same. I know what it is like to be the ultimate competitor and to keep myself in the best shape I possibly can. It is for these reasons I have decided to study Sports Medicine.
Kinesiology is something I have grown a passion for from my love of soccer and my ultimate competitive side. I also have a strong desire to work for the law, specifically in criminal law or possibly accounting. My hope would be to work with my kinesiology education on sports rehab and training, while being able to operate a sports business of my own one day. I have always been very good with budgeting and managing my own finances. My high school accounting class was one of my favorite classes.
With my passion for law, I will probably use my discretionary college credits to take Pre-Law and other business classes. By taking these classes I will be building a knowledge base that will help me to run my own business based around my life time love for soccer. By studying Kinesiology I will be able to work with others on something I have a passion for; training and or rehab with minimal off-the-field time.
One of the best decisions I have made towards the pursuit of my goals, was the decision to leave home at age 16 and attend Farragut in St. Petersburg Florida. I longed for year round soccer outside (in Chicago we play soccer inside in the Winter) and was also looking for somewhere I could strengthen my academic focus. Farragut enabled me to do both. The school had an ODP coach at the time, which eased my transition from Illinois and Region II ODP to Florida and Region III ODP. I considered it quite an accomplishment when I was able to leave my much longed for and accomplished soccer position at home in Illinois and gain the same position and more in Florida. .Attending the private school has enabled me to travel with the Academy team (Clearwater Chargers) without compromising my academics. Without a doubt, switching schools at age 16 and moving to Florida was a great challenge but also one of my greatest moves both academically and athletically towards my goals. Beyond moving to a different state with a new school and soccer club, my greatest achievement is the mental strength and maturity that I have built from living on my own. Most would say that it is a privilege, but living on my own has helped me enhance my level of personal responsibility, scheduling and focus. I have learned how to balance all necessities of life in order to work towards the goals that I have set for myself. The move matured me faster than anyone I know and I use my maturity now to try to set an example for others. I am so grateful to have found this opportunity and to have the support of my parents to help me pursue my goals for my future.
