Connection to Soccer
My connection to soccer is simple. I love the game. I am a soccer player for one reason; I have a passion to play. I’ve grown up with the game of soccer in Europe when I visited my grandparents in Switzerland. So growing up watching soccer and playing for fun as a little kid is why I play soccer today.
I started to play soccer in 1996 with the AYSO league in San Clemente, CA. I played AYSO for about ten years. I enjoyed it, but as I got older, it wasn’t competitive enough for me. So in 2004, whilst still playing AYSO, I decided to join a club team. I joined United Futbol Club in San Juan Capistrano. I started out on a bronze u13 team under Coach Joshua Springer. I then moved up to a silver ranked team the following year (2005). I played with the silver team through the u14’s and u15’s. Then when the u16’s came, I had a chance to try out for the gold team. I with giving all the heart I had, I made the team. I played only one year with the u16 gold team. The following year, high school had started for me. I played as an oncoming freshman for the junior varsity summer league team. After summer league and tryouts, I was astonished that I had made varsity for San Clemente High School as a freshman. I only played high school varsity soccer until after sophomore year.
I was given a decision to make, either continue high school at San Clemente, or go try out for an academy team in Switzerland. I chose the academy team in Switzerland. In the summer of 2008, I was given a one week trial with the FC Luzern u18 soccer team. To be honest, I did horribly. I was not used to the European style of soccer. The team was passing the ball more and moving around with it rather than just attacking like in high school. They also played with more time and less rushing. So after my first week, the coach already had talked to me about joining the B team. I refused, and I begged him to give me one more week. I was only just getting adjusted to style of play, and...