Joel

What do they love most about playing their sport(s)?

What I love most about playing sports is training hard, then seeing it pay off when we win! It’s an incredible feeling. I also love learning from every game, figuring out what works, what doesn’t, and what I need to improve on. I will use those lessons in my everyday life, even pass them on someday to the next generation. Sports make me more confident, give me a safe space to grow, helping me build amazing friendships along the way.

Who inspires them—on or off the field—and why?

Someone who inspires me a lot is my dad. I feel like he’s been with me through the hard times and the great times, rain or shine. He’s always been by my side and has always been there for me. He pushes me to work my hardest, and without him, I don’t know what I would have done.

What’s one moment in their athletic journey that makes you proudest?

One of the proudest moments of Joel’s athletic career was playing in the Youth Championship Super-bowl game at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles at 12 years old. His team was undefeated, and with only minutes left, they needed one more score to win. Joel made an incredible, difficult catch for a 4th down conversion that was over 30 yards to set up the winning score. The whole stadium was amazed, but I was most proud that he never gave up. He saw an opportunity, went for it, and made it happen!