For as long as I can remember, football has been a part of my life in one way or another. When I was born my grandfather said I was solid and made to play football. When I was little I used to throw the ball with my mother and she always told me that when I tried to tackle her I hit really hard. My first experience of organized football was when I was five years old. I had just moved to Manassas, Virginia from Washington, DC in 1994. It was around the fall, right at the start of football season in the area. I remember telling my mother that I wanted to play, so she looked for a local children's organization. She came across the Greater Manassas Football League (GMFL) and that's where I started playing the game I love. I was only five years old at the time and the league commissioner said I couldn't play because my birthday was one day after the cutoff date. My mother looked into my eyes and saw how much I wanted it, so she convinced him to let me play. I was a member of the Bandits and I was the youngest on the team. However, I didn't worry about the age issue because I was just happy to play. I was never intimidated because at that age everyone played and had fun. My number was 52 and I played running back. My team was horrible, and that's just an understatement, but I made a name for myself as a tough runner. I played in the GMFL for about five or six years and then moved on to another slightly bigger league, the Prince William County Football League (PWCFL). In the PWCFL my position changed, I gained weight and size, so I moved to fullback and middle linebacker. My number also changed to 44, after John Riggens, former running back of my favorite team, the W...... middle of paper...... middle season. The following year my senior year fell in line with my senior year. I got injured in the first game with a separated shoulder. I continued to play the season through the pain because you only get one chance in high school football and I wasn't going to miss a game. We finished the season with another 5-5 record. Now this phase of my football career was over and it was time to move on. I earned All-District honors 3 consecutive years in high school and All-Region once. Football has been very rewarding for me not only through awards and recognition, but through the experiences and lessons I have learned. It has helped me to be disciplined in my lifestyle and appreciate hard work. From a kid who wanted to play with all the older kids, to being one of those kids that other kids look up to, soccer has had a positive impact on my life.