Matthew Spiro '17 Recruiting Profile

All children love action figures, and superheroes. Kids love to pretend to be all kinds of superheroes with their siblings and friends. Being that kind of child, I loved to pretend to be the strongest superhero of all. I was always the strongest and the fastest. The reason I bring up this topic is because, I believe that this is what has influenced me to succeed throughout my entire childhood. In addition, soccer has always been there to get me through speed bumps in my life. I have an incredible opportunity of going really far with soccer right now as well. I started playing when I was about four years old. In first grade a sensei from a local karate dojo gave a demonstration in my classroom.   Immediately, I thought like a six year old normally would, “It’s a chance to be strong and powerful.” After five years of hard work and dedication to karate, I had earned my blackbelt at eleven years old.  I had also learned that karate is much more than being strong and powerful, it’s about respect, patience, and self-discipline. Throughout those five years, I continued to play soccer. Once I turned twelve years old, I recognized that I wasn’t performing to the ability I knew that I possessed. I increased my training and dedication. I became a starter within a few months of very committed practicing. I went from last off the bench, to a well needed player on the field. At that time, I earned much respect from many players, coaches, and parents. Throughout my training, I was open to finding a better coach and program to fulfill my needs to be a better all around player.  I joined Milan Academy in Riverside which is the club that has helped me get to where I am today. Upon entering high school, I tried out for the school soccer team and in my sophomore year, I earned a starting position on the varsity team. In my junior year, I was asked to be the captain of the Varsity team. The same year I was elected by all of the coaches in our league as a First Team All League player for the Sunbelt League.  For my senior year of high school I will be attending a professional academy in Verona, Italy to better myself as a player on the field, and a young man off the field, I am being offered this great opportunity thanks to the head of Milan Academy, Giorgio Cerboni. This man has been my mentor and has shown me the X’s and O’s, not only in soccer but in life. I have a 3.2 grade point average as of my Junior year in high school. Since my Senior year will be all online, I will strive to be the best student I can be. This task will not be easy, as I may be distracted by my daily soccer opportunities.  I have some really good advice and guidance from my high school Varsity coach. He told me that I was a “student athlete.”  He then asked me which word came first, I understood his message, grades always come first. All in all soccer is my overall talent that I feel needs to be strongly considered within my application.