Chernoh's Story

My passion is football..

I discovered my passion for football when I watched my first football game: the 2012 Superbowl between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. When I saw Eli Manning throw that football to Victor Cruz to get the touchdown and win the Superbowl, an eruption of joy and happiness came from me when I jumped and screamed "Yes!" From that day on I discovered my passion to play football. So I played for and tried out for numerous teams in school or out of school. I realized that I wanted to play football for the friendly competition.

Attending the Nike Football Camp will help me explore my passion because it can help me know what the sport is like for athletes in the NFL. I can experience how coaches talk to their players so I can be motivated to do better. I can use my aggression on to the football field. It could help me know how it is like to be a football player on and off field. It can help me improve my teamwork and leadership skills during practice, a game, or even off the football field. This is how this program can help me.

My parents immigrated from Sierra Leone when my mom was pregnant with me. When they moved to the U.S., we had little money to pay for apartments, so we had to bounce around our family and friends' houses, until my dad got a job. We had trouble paying bills and couldn't keep our apartments and had to move out every six months. I couldn't do the things I wanted because my parents had little money. Sometimes I wanted new sneakers or new video games but my parents couldn't buy them. Finally, my dad graduated from college in 2008 and he became a nurse for veterinarians. Now I am able to get things and my parents don't have to go through the hardships anymore. I also am living in my current house for three in a half years and it is a place where my parents and I can stay as long as we want to. Because I couldn't get these things and had this experience, it has motivated me to do better. I tried to work hard in school. I don't want to go through the hardships my parents faced and I don't want my children to go through what I did. My education can give me a college degree and a well paying job. I learned from this obstacle to never give up and keep going no matter what is in your way.