I’ve come a long way from my upbringing in Chile.

To be honest with you, I didn’t expect this, but did I dream this?

Yes.

Making my dream of playing professional soccer become a reality here at South Georgia Tormenta FC has been an incredible experience.

And to be on the field when the final whistle went at last year’s League One Final? That was special, and showed how far your dreams and dedication can take you.

For all of us at Tormenta, the League One Final was a reflection of the hard work that every single member of this organization had put in.

The championship we earned was for the players that had been here for a long time. It was also for the players that were not here, because when they came here, they pushed, and they set the bar higher and higher.

And it was about the club itself.

Looking back now, I completely believe it was our reward for the hard work that a lot of people put in behind the scenes. Doing something for this franchise, for this community, was so very special for me.

I mean, there’s no other way to put it than we are a very humble club.

We’re in the smallest market in the country to have men’s professional soccer, and what we have, we’re very proud of. That’s what makes me feel happy and proud being part of our organization.

We try to show to the rest of the country – and the rest of the league, the rest of the world – that special things are done here in Statesboro. As someone who’s been here since we began this journey before League One arrived, I’m proud of the team we’ve been over the years.

That applies off the field as well as on it, too.

I’ve always believed that football is not just football, it’s a lot more. Being at a club this long, it becomes the sort of place where you understand that.

At this point, it has become personal. You get to the point at which it becomes different.

Different pressures. Different perspective.

And, nowadays, different opportunities.

To be honest, when I came to the United States to play for Wingate University, it wasn’t easy. I really didn’t speak any English, and that part was difficult for me. I couldn’t be myself. I couldn’t express myself.  I’m a person that says what’s on my mind, and I had to become a person who could find a way to express myself.

That was a difficult moment, but at the same time I was extremely grateful and thankful for the people that believed in me. The people at the university believed in me, especially Coach Gary Hamill, and he’ll always have a special place in my heart.

Now, I’m grateful for the opportunity Tormenta FC and Bellevue University are offering me away from the field. I’m currently working toward a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership through the scholarship program provided by the partnership between Bellevue University and the United Soccer League.

My pathway in education has given me the freedom to make decisions for myself, and my family, making sure I didn’t put all my eggs in one basket. Understanding that not everything is about football, which I believe even while I love football, education has given me the opportunity to be something else.

I am extremely lucky and blessed. Earning my graduate degree at Bellevue University is an opportunity that doesn’t happen in any other place, and now the only thing I can do is the best that I can, build bridges for the new generation and show them that a player can go to school and do well.

What I’ve achieved has also taught me to aim higher. Now, I have even bigger dreams than I did before.

I want to compete and achieve at the highest level possible, according to my resources and condition. That’s what I fight every single day for, pursuing my dreams for my family – especially my parents – to find a way to achieve what I believe I can achieve.

And I want to do that here at Tormenta.

I love being part of this organization, and I look forward to seeing where this club can be in the near future and the far future.

As we do good things now, hopefully we can set a standard for the future generation and those who have their dream of wearing this club’s colors.

My advice to them?

Dream big.