Darren Christopher

The association between a young man and sports is unavoidable. Soccer has always been my passion ever since I was eight. Personally, soccer is more than just a hobby; it’s also one of my greatest character-building teachers. Winning numerous awards such as the Most Valuable Player Award and even a full scholarship to one of the biggest soccer academies in Jakarta has been the highlights of this road.

However, these awards were not free, they needed sacrifice and perseverance in return. I faced the sorrows of not making the varsity team twice but giving up is not a principle that I grew up with. Being picked on by my other teammates for not being able to even pass a ball properly and run fast enough was almost a daily routine. Blood, sweat and tears fell regularly.

In coherence with the saying ”the dusk is darkest just before the dawn,” after two years of playing soccer in my high school, I was given the captaincy. From this valuable experience, I learned important skills that a classroom cannot teach, such as responsibility, commitment, and most importantly, leadership. Being a leader is not easy; I have to lead by example and the ability to communicate and organize my teammates is vital.

I am looking forward to many more hands-on experiences to further enhance my skills as well as to meet new people from different walks of life, and to make sure that I can become the best me I am capable of becoming.