|
I come from a family of five kids and two happily married parents. Our parents have high expectations for us and are strict. Being engaged in sports and academics is important in our family.
Having a lot of siblings is beneficial when going out to train for soccer or other sports. I used to play softball, basketball, and track, along with soccer. I quit softball because it just didn’t interest me, and this year I’m not going to do basketball or track so that I can just focus on improving my soccer game.
I started playing soccer at age 3 and moved to club soccer in fourth grade. Since then, I have moved around to a few different clubs. I now play for Spokane Sounders.
Do you have a nickname?
I used to have the nickname “Smiley” on an old club team because my coach said I smiled a lot, so felt that the nickname fit. As of recently, I acquired a new nickname. My coaches call me “Pickle” because I brought whole pickles and ate them before practice one day.
What is your favorite sport to watch?
Soccer is both my favorite sport to watch and be a part of. Basketball is a close second to soccer as my favorite sport to watch.
Is it harder being a student or athlete?
I think being a student is harder than being an athlete. Although you have to physically work a lot harder as an athlete and be mentally focused, I really enjoy being an athlete. Being a student isn’t as rewarding as being a player, which makes it difficult to motivate myself to work hard. Although, I still manage to be a good student.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from playing sports?
Probably the best thing I’ve learned from playing high school sports is that you have to really want to succeed and always push yourself. even when it’s easy.
What’s your favorite high school memory?
My favorite high school memory is having a team bonding dinner with my high school soccer mates. We watched a movie, talked and chased my teammate’s chickens around.
Who is your favorite teacher?
I have a lot of teachers that I like, but one teacher that I particularly like is Mr. Rigg. He was my computer skills and P.E. teacher in 7th grade, and last year he was my health teacher. He always made a way to make class interesting, he is easy to talk to, and relates to the pressure students are under sometimes.
Do you prefer cats or dogs?
I’m definitely a dog person. My family doesn’t have pets besides my brother’s lizard, but I still really wish we had a dog. They’re so much more cuddly and playful than cats can be.
What’s your favorite food?
I’d have to say that my favorite food is probably spaghetti and meatballs. It’s pretty high up there among messy foods to eat, but I still enjoy the Italian pasta.
You have an entire weekend with no plans. What do you do?
One of the days I’d probably lounge around the house and relax. I might go out to the backyard with my sister and kick a soccer ball around. The other day I’d most likely try to make last minute plans with a friend to go shopping or hangout. I usually don’t have many free weekends without any plans because of my busy family, so I’d enjoy having a weekend to do whatever I wanted.
What is something most people do not know about you?
I might not seem like it, but I was a troublemaker in my toddler years. I used to sneak into the kitchen and take ice cream sandwiches out of the freezer and smear them over the outlets on the wall, and I also smeared vaseline all over our couches. Something else I would do is feed my baby sister hard food when her teeth hadn’t come in yet.
What celebrity would play you if they made a movie about your life?
I think Hilary Duff would play my role if a movie was made about my life. I’ve been told I look like her, and based on the movies I’ve seen her act in she seems like she has a fun personality.
What was the last song you listened to?
The last song I listened to was “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” My sister is already in the holiday spirit and played that classic Christmas song while we were in the car.
Where would you like to attend college?
I’m still interested in a handful of colleges and am keeping my options open, but University of the Pacific is a school I’m interested in. They have an excellent physical therapy program, and I think I’d fit nicely into it. It’s also close to home, which is a plus. A few other colleges I've looked into are Washington State, Colorado State University, University of Idaho, Eastern Washington, Arizona State and Western Oregon University.
What’s your idea of the “perfect job?”
My idea of the perfect job for me would be a physical therapist. I love sports and exercise and by working as a physical therapist, I’d still be able to be a part of that in some way. Also, I’d be helping people regain their mobility so that they could go back to doing something that maybe they love.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
I’ve received a lot of advice over the years, but probably the one that has stuck with me was from my grandpa. He came to watch my basketball game and saw me take a few free throws because I got fouled. He saw me struggling to take the free throws and told me to aim for the square on the backboard. He told me how in boxing, you try to imagine hitting the person in the face but actually punching through to the back of the head so that it’s a more powerful punch. So he related a basketball free throw to boxing, which I thought was funny, and it’s just stuck with me since.
How do you want to be remembered?
I want to be remembered by my relatives as the family member who was always looking out for them. I want to be remembered by my friends as the person that was fun to make memories with.
I’d like to thank my family and friends for their endless support throughout my entire soccer career. By being present, they have encouraged me to play better and work harder.
|