- 2024 Spotlight
Personal Statement
Starting at the ripe age of 5, soccer has always been an integral part of my development. Although I played and watched the game as much as I could, I never realised how much I would fall in love with the game, and the lessons that would come with it. Soccer has helped me tremendously when it came to my social life, as a Vietnamese-American living in Africa it was always difficult to make friends, well that was until soccer was mentioned. Soccer has taught me many lessons when it came to resilience and my character.
Playing at an academy in Ghana my position was changed a lot, which in truth frustrated me but gave me the opportunity to be resilient and persevere. But as the Covid-19 pandemic came, I slowly fell out of love for football and my health took a toll. Coming back to school I realised I needed to make friends again as most of my friends had moved away and the only way I knew how to do so was with soccer, so I started my journey again my first year playing as a goalkeeper in Middle School, but moving into high school I was asked by a new coach to play centre back as he believed my character and soccer knowledge would better suit me as a defender. This change was very difficult for me as I was struggling to fight for a spot on the Junior Varsity team during my Freshman year, but thanks to my resilience I was determined to improve next year.
Over the break I trained in Vietnam by myself, before going back to Ghana to link up with my former coach and join his club. Playing with players that were Division 2, and Division 3(Ghanaian 3rd and 4th tier) not only improved my technical abilities but also introduced me to the local community. Soccer once again became my bridge to connect with others. Now, as I reside in Senegal, I carry these experiences with me, and hope that they would be helpful as I continue my soccer journey. I plan to try out for local Regional Division(5th tier Senegal) team Avenir Bi Ngor in the coming months, as well as playing for my high school.
In short, my journey from Vietnam to Ghana, and now Senegal reflects soccer’s profound impact. As a centre back, I embrace challenges, celebrate victories, and cherish the camaraderie that this beautiful game provides. I am not just a player; I am a student, ready to bring my passion dedication and teamwork to the college level.
