How old were you when you first started playing, who taught you to play and who most influenced your development as a young player?
I first started playing soccer when I was five. My dad taught me to play and has influenced my development as a young soccer player the most. Another person was Victor Solarte, who was my first coach.

What's been the single best moment of your soccer career thus far, at any level of competition?
It would probably be when I started against the New York Redbulls as a freshman at the spring showcase. It was one of my favorite moments because I felt like I really stepped up at a crucial time and performed very well. Another moment that I remember is scoring a goal and having an assist against Real colorado in one of the first times that I started.

What are your long-term goals in the sport?
I want to play professionally as soon as possible. I also want to play for a club team in Europe as my career goes on. It has been a dream/goal of mine to put on the national team jersey as well as the Chicago Fires' jersey.

What has been the most valuable aspect of being trained by the Academy coaches?
Having organized and pro-like training sessions, in which I am under high observation most of the time.

What has training with the Academy taught you about yourself as a player and where do you need improvement?
It has taught me that playing under high pressure frequently makes you a better player. I need improvement on my awareness when receiving the ball, especially when my back is to goal. Having better awareness will help me play quicker and more efficiently.

What is the most difficult part of training with the Academy?
Training at the dome is difficult because it is crowded and slippery near the sidelines. Lighting also makes it hard to tell who's on your team when playing in scrimmages. I also find it hard to train without a routine warm up/stretch.

Does the training differ from past training you've had, and in what way?
Absolutely. It's more organized, higher-paced and far more structured. It involves and requires much more technique and the pace of the drills are more physically demanding.

Which of your Academy teammates impresses you the most and why?
David Caban impresses me the most because he is such a good two-way player. In my opinion, he is the best defender on the team but he also has no problem running at guys and attacking.

Which of the other U-16 or U-18 Academy players impresses you and why?
The U-18 player that impresses me the most is Charlie Lyon because of the way he carries himself. He's always on time, is always organized and he's the most focused player I know. He is the best example of a 'young professional.'