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 was four years old when I started to play soccer. My father taught me and he influenced me but I had a friend that got me into soccer when I was little. His name is Periko and he was nine when he got me more into soccer.

What's been the single best moment of your soccer career thus far, at any level of competition?
I've had lots of moments in my life where I've scored goals at the last second and won the game. But there's one time when I scored five goals. We were facing a good team and they would kill us every time we faced them. The game was tied and there was one minute to go and I scored and celebrated the goal and it felt beautiful.

What are your long-term goals in the sport?
To get the first team and to play striker and be famous.

What has been the most valuable aspect of being trained by the Academy coaches?
That I'm playing with the best players from around Chicago and that I'm being seen by pros every day and that helps me learn.

What has training with the Academy taught you about yourself as a player and where do you need improvement?
A lot of things because no one is perfect. I've learned that I'm better than I think and that I need to improve my style and being more confident.

What is the most difficult part of training with the Academy?
Everything is difficult but when you put your mind to it, nothing is too difficult.

Does the training differ from past training you've had, and in what way?
Here I learn something new each day while in my old teams some of my coaches did not do much.

Which of your Academy teammates impresses you the most and why?
The one who impressed me is Keaton because he is a very good defender. He's also very helpful and friendly and he has helped me get everything out when I had bad practices.

Which of the other U-16 or U-18 Academy players impresses you and why?
Harry Shipp on the U-18s because he is so good and also fast and strong and is a very good finisher.
On the U-16s, Keaton is very skilled and I look to him at times when I need help or to talk since he's friendly and very smart.