Who I Am.

Before I dive into telling you my ideas and opinions, I think you should have an idea of where I come from. I grew up in a comfy, middle class home with an extremely supportive family. My parents and sister would do anything to help me succeed. Academics was the number one priority but soccer was number two. My parents put me in soccer at age five and often said to me "why dont you try this other sport?" I gave a couple a try but my love always came back to soccer.

So over the next 13 years, I put my sweat, blood and tears into the sport. Dreaming and hoping of a successful collegiate career. My dream came true to be recruited my senior year at a local college in my hometown. Once I committed, life was beyond great. Until I was hit with my first six serious setbacks. I had knee surgery before my freshman year, then again in the spring of that same year. Coming from a uninjured background, I had no clue of the intensity it takes to rehab from surgery. Well, there goes my freshman year. But its going to be okay because I have three more years.

My second year was okay, minus two serious ankle sprains in the spring. Then came the tough ones. One ACL tear before my junior year, then ACL and meniscus before my senior year. My previous thought of "its okay, there's 3 more years" suddenly seemed way more significant. I didn't have three more years. My career was over. To round up the fun, I then had an ankle reconstruction in March of my senior year and a shoulder surgery about three weeks ago.

I know this isn't the cup of sunshine you may have been wanting to read but I have a reasoning for explaining it all. I want to show those who have had dreams such as mine, that it is going to be okay. I have found so much more outside of world of soccer than I ever thought I would because of these injuries. Don't get me wrong, this process wasn't easy but well worth it. Wouldn't take back any of them. I will go more into this in the future, but if my story can help at least one person realize there is more to life than whatever your most important thing is, then I feel that I have done my job.