I come from a big Catholic family in
Orange
County . I am the oldest of five. My twenty-two year old cousin has lived with my family as well since I was in the 7th grade.
My two parents, who have instilled in me the values by which I live my life, brought me up. They have always taught me to be a good person even when no one is looking. My father started taking me to church every Sunday at a young age, and my faith means a lot to me. Coming from a big family where I have younger siblings who look up to me has given me the opportunity to set a good example for them in every aspect of life whether it be school, sports, or social life.
I have been the starting quarterback for three years at one of the top high school football programs in the country,
Mission Viejo
High School , and have been very successful as a quarterback. As a senior, I led
Orange County, California in passing yardage with over 3,000 yards passing and 38 touchdowns. I have broken numerous school and county records, and I am very proud of that. I work very hard and take pride in all that I do. Football has truly shaped the person I am. For example, football has taught me to be a hard worker and to never give up. When I am passionate about something, I work to accomplish my goals to the fullest. Additionally, I have developed leadership skills as well as having learned to function as a “team player” in every aspect of my life.
Finally, football has taught me how to compete to be the best I can be (as opposed to simply better than others), which I believe will help me throughout college and my life no matter what occupation I choose.
Apart from personal improvement learned from my high school football coaches, football team, and my parents, I have also learned about the rewards of service to others. For example, my football team joined with the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) to help raise money and increase awareness in our community about the need for research to find a cure for childhood cancer. I was very proud when I accepted on behalf our football team the “Community of Character Award” presented by the Mayor of Mission Viejo for my team’s involvement with PCRF in the community. It was a service initiated by my family and the football team performed together. Hopefully, it will be something that each player takes with him as he leaves high school, and hopefully each will continue the work of raising money to find a cure for pediatric cancer. In summary, I am thankful that my talent has allowed me to help others and I will continue to use my talents for the good of others around me.
I feel fortunate to have received numerous advantages from my parents, particularly those related to being brought in a large family and in a loving atmosphere. I am grateful for all that I have been taught by my parents, including the value of hard work, service to others, honesty and a very competitive drive for self-improvement.
Of special importance to me are sports, especially football, which I believe has helped me in every aspect of life in becoming a better person. If it were not for the world I come from, I believe I would never have had the chance to develop into the person I am today.
