Soccer—futbal, the beautiful game—has always been a big deal in my family. Being half Croatian, match days, especially during qualifiers, the Euros and World Cup, can feel like everything. It's a game that has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

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I started playing YMCA rec soccer at four and joined United Futbol Academy (UFA) at nine. Soccer eventually took me through four years of college soccer in the Northeast, where I was a four-year starter and team captain.

As a youth player, I was a UFA co-captain, named Second Team All-State as a Center Back, and received Pinecrest Academy's Coaches Award for Leadership from Coach Dominic Martelli.

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College soccer took that commitment to another level. Early morning training, classes, weight rooms, long bus rides across the Northeast, late nights, injuries, wins and losses—all while balancing the demands of being a full-time student-athlete.

After 18 years of playing, soccer has given me much more than memories on the field. It taught me discipline, resilience, leadership, teamwork and accountability—and what it means to truly commit to something.

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From a four-year-old rec player to a college captain, the beautiful game has been a huge part of who I am and who I've become.