In life we are tried, time and time again, how we face those tests determines the path we take. When you put everything you have into facing life's unforgiving challenges the outcome will always be better than you ever thought possible. I believe that hard work is the key to success and that belief has made all the difference in my life.

Being a first child has its perks. Before that other sibling is born you can drink all the juice boxes you want and eat all of the mac’n’cheese in the house. That’s how I gained a lot of weight in all my years when I hadn’t even hit double digits yet. Eventually when I turned into a plump pre-teen I was playing club soccer for the first time. My dreams of becoming a professional soccer player were as big as my chubby cheeks.

It was the spring of my second season with the club. We were playing the infamous Dearborn who is known for playing rough. I gave up goal after goal in that game and it added up to eight arrows through my heart. Giving up eight goals was a devastating blow to the young hopeful soccer star. I wanted to quit, give up on the sport I loved more than anything. My parents weren’t going to let that happen though, because they knew that fire in my heart for the beautiful game would never die out. My parents said to me, “If you want to be the best you have to give 110 percent every time you step on that field and if you do, you will be successful.” That was the moment that changed my whole work ethic and state of mind for the rest of my life.

My Dad previous to me also played soccer. He wasn’t the most skilled player on the team, but he always made it a point to be the hardest worker. His hard work and dedication led him to become the leading goal scorer his senior year. My father had to work really hard to achieve that, it was never handed to him. 

My parents are the most hard working people I know and they inspire me to do my best. They met right before college and dated for a couple years before getting married at the age of 23. With my mom only having a two year degree in child care, and my father not completing college they started their lives together in a trailer park. Over time my Mom worked her way up at her work and for the past 23 years she has been a head teacher of the toddler room. Now they have the successful life they’ve always dreamed of and I’m proud of how far they’ve come.

Over the years my chubby cheeks have thinned down along with the rest of my body. For the past 3 years with my new club I’ve had a lot of training, and it was all worth it because as a freshman I got the job of starting varsity goalie. I’ve gotten to this point because I believe in being a hard worker and that has helped me be successful in reaching my goals. My hopeful soccer star dream is alive, and I’m still climbing to achieve it.