- 2020 Highlights
Personal Statement
Hi, my name is Manuela Lozano, I am from Colombia, and I am a high school graduate of 2022. The main influence that I have had in my life is my family. I have a twin sister wich was diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis. I have been by her side since the day she was diagnosed and I have always tried to take care of her. She is one of the main reasons for which I am such a strong person. Watching her go through all of her pain and never giving up just makes me want to keep fighting and makes me determined to strive for the best. Also, I have always had a huge passion for sports.
The day my passion for soccer stroke was during the World Cup of 2014. I was watching the game between Colombia and Brazil and I just found it fascinating. From that day I just watched David Ospina block all of the shots that he was thrown at, I knew that I had found my new passion. When I started training, the coaches put me in all positions to see which one was the best fit for me. One day they made goalkeeper and I realized that I was very agile and fast with my hands. From that day on, I kept playing as a goalkeeper. I started training very hard every day, and my hard work paid off. During one of my tournaments, Faryd Mondragon, one of the most recognized goalkeepers in Colombia, watched me playing, and while he saw me he said that nothing could get passed me. My interest in soccer was finally consolidated with the help of my team. I have led my team too many championships, and without their help, I wouldn’t be the goalkeeper that I am today.
I have a very high GPA and I would like to keep it that way, if not possibly higher. My goals for college are to be able to get into the best university possible, with high academic expectations, but that will also let me practice the sport that I love with their support. I strive to get a scholarship with both my academic accomplishments and my soccer skills. I also want to go to college where I can have a positive relationship with my professors, coaches, teammates, and students. The goalkeeper is one of the players that is supposed to talk more during the games since they can see everything that is happening throughout all of the fields. This has helped me to communicate more clearly with my teammates and guide them such as the coach.
I have led my team too many finals, and some of them have ended in championships, but others we have lost. These mistakes have cost me greatly, but with the help of my teammates and coaches, I have overcome these obstacles and have gained more knowledge, which has helped me grow into a better goalkeeper. I think fast under pressure. This is very important in situations like when facing a penalty kick. I am very good at blocking them, mostly because very often I am able to read which side the kicker is going to throw the ball or, I wait to figure out what side the ball might go to. I am also very determined and hard worker. I like to go the extra mile, working harder than most. I don’t skip training and push myself to the limit. My greatest motivation is to succeed and help my team to win. Resilience is built with training, accomplishments, and failures, as a goalkeeper that has grown on me. Teaching me not to quickly quit when something becomes difficult. Of course, there is always so much to learn and improve. Talent is important, but so are discipline, commitment, and dedication. Those are the keys to get better every day.
