Michael Arias '22 Recruiting Profile

My name is Michael Arias, and I’m a sophomore at Palmer Trinity School in sunny Miami, Florida. Surprisingly, I discovered my passion for basketball at the end of middle school, after having played club soccer for three years.  From the moment I stepped on a basketball court and started dribbling and shooting the ball, I knew I had found my sport. It just felt so natural to me.  So, I began practicing, training and learning - at first with a private coach – and later joining Elite Basketball league.  Great coaches truly make a difference, and my first was Stan Gaines a former college and European league player. It was Stan who fostered my budding talent and drive, and who inspired me to believe it’s never too late to commit to something you are passionate about and are willing to put in the time and effort.  My basketball journey hasn’t been an easy one.  I joined Elite Basketball league in 2018, playing with much older, larger and experienced players.  I knew that I had a lot work in front me. This challenge only motivated me even more. I also started working Coach Andreas Cardona of Elite Basketball league, who is coaching me on basketball as well as strength and conditioning. I also enrolled in the Basketball elective at school where I had the chance to test my skills against the varsity team members and learn from them.  At the end of my freshman year, after playing with Elite and in the school elective, I was more skilled, more confident and had found my stride as a Point Guard.  One of the things I discovered was how my height and wingspan are a huge advantage on defense, and when combined with strong basketball IQ makes me a formidable competitor. There is nothing more exciting than blocking a shot or a pass that other players think is a done deal.   I’m equally committed to academic achievement, leadership and community service as I am to basketball. I’m currently honors student in three subjects, and completing the college course portion of an independent study course on "Scottish History & Politics".  I was just selected as the Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook, the only Sophomore to hold that title.   In the spring of 2019, I was a lead member of the school science team that was awarded 2^nd Place for defending our original thesis at NASA Growing Beyond Earth competition. I’m fluent in Spanish and represented Palmer last year as a delegate at the Global Round Square conference in Bogota, Colombia and where I resided with a local family, and completed community service by helping to build a school.  During the summer of 2019, I successfully completed Sports Business Academy pre-college program at UCLA Anderson School - Center For Management Of Enterprise In Media, Entertainment & Sports.  It is my goal to continue to challenge myself on and off the court.  As I look forward to college, I’m currently undecided for a major, but have a keen interest in Sports Management, Marketing & Communications and Journalism.