Aloha coaches, my name is Paisley Yamashita. I am 16 years old and currently a sophomore at Iolani school in Honolulu, Hawaii. Soccer has been a part of my life since the age of 3. I have participated in multiple sports including, basketball, cross country, track and field, gymnastics, and karate, but soccer has always been my passion.
In any journey, there are obstacles that can stand in the way. I believe it is the way a person overcomes these obstacles that builds their character and makes them unique. I am no stranger to overcoming obstacles and I am proud of what I have accomplished despite them. Having to fight for a spot on teams due to my size and playing on teams that were built from the bottom up have made me develop a creative way of looking at things, a growth mindset and mental toughness that I know will take me far.
Fast, shifty, athletic, coachable, hard-working, energetic and fiercely competitive; are character traits I have often heard my coaches, teammates, friends and family use to describe me. Despite usually being the smallest on my team, these characteristics as well as my leadership on and off the field, has led me to play with a "big" mindset.
My aspirations are to play soccer in college, while pursuing a degree in Biology, Kinesiology, or Psychology. I hope to play on a team that I can contribute to and grow as both a player and a person.