Mariano Kool '25 Recruiting Profile

I am a 17-year-old aspiring Dutch soccer player, with several years of playing experience at the highest professional youth level in Italy, currently attending the Swiss International School of Dubai, which is recognized among the top 100 best private schools in the world, renowned for its IB program and part of Nord Anglia, among others the owner of IMG Academy. In the class of 2025, I am part of the Honours Program within the Most Able, Gifted, and Talented initiative.

Over the past four years, I had the privilege of living in Italy and being a part of Vicenza, a distinguished Serie B/C club. During my time at Vicenza, I have contributed with goals against well-known opponents such as Inter Milan and Hellas Verona. I played on the U13 and U14 teams before gaining valuable experience on loan to two clubs: one in Serie C and the other an affiliate of Vicenza’s youth academy in the region.

Prior to Italy, I played soccer in Latvia from the age of four and was part of the national youth champion team called FS Metta, having gone through the ranks of the various U8-12 teams. Our team also participated in many professional international youth tournaments, playing and beating the likes of Zenit St Petersburg, Manchester United, Dinamo Minsk and Legia Warsaw.

Recently, I relocated to Dubai with our family and joined Go-Pro Academy, a leading soccer academy in the UAE. As a central midfielder, I bring intelligence, field awareness, precision passing, technical skills, pressing and a potent long-distance shot to the game. My versatility extends to positions such as CDM, CM, and CAM.

Academically, my interests span various fields, including sports and entertainment management, real estate, urban planning, and interior architecture and design. My multicultural background, having lived in China, England, Spain, Latvia, Italy, and now the UAE, has shaped my global perspective. Fluent in English, Dutch, and Italian, with proficiency in German and Spanish, I embrace diversity and connect easily with teammates and coaches.

My family's commitment to help better society through sport, excellence in academics and business extends to my siblings who have pursued higher education at leading universities in Europe, my dad who is a volunteer in sport as President of the International Korfball Federation as well as CEO of a leading global marketing company, and my mom who has a longstanding involvement in sports for athletes with special needs, while also pursuing a career as soccer coach for girls through her UEFA C license. These experiences have instilled in me a strong work ethic and a drive to excel both on and off the field. In addition to my own academic and sport activities I have been a coach for children between 6-14 years during five weeks at a soccer camp in Italy in the summer of 2023.

I am driven to pursue my soccer dreams at the collegiate level. My combination of academic excellence, international experience, and a passion for the game makes me a candidate who can contribute both on and off the field.

Thank you for considering my profile, and I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how I can be a valuable addition to your team and university.