Originally published on YourValley.net
Adrian Colon has world-class ambitions on the international pitch — and the talent to see them through — as the 17-year-old prodigy is already a member of the Puerto Rico National Team, but ultimately is seeking World Cup glory.
Today, he’s a defensive midfielder for 1FC Kaiserlautern (U21), a professional team in the German Bundesliga League, with initial sights set on a strong finish at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, which is a biennial football competition between European men’s under-21 national teams.
But amid those world-class expectations, Colon also has one rite of passage yet to overcome: Conquering high school. With international glory waiting, the Colon family turned to ASU Prep Digital.
“Adrian is a very responsible young man — living independently in another country, playing competitively, and making his schoolwork a priority,” says Heather Churney, his learning success coach at ASU Prep Digital, where he is enrolled as a senior. “It’s exciting to be able to work with somebody overseas in an environment where we can be flexible to meet his academic needs while he is pursuing his dreams — really cool dreams.”
He first moved to Germany in 2012, when his dad was stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. However, in July 2020, his family got new orders and moved back to the United States. Arizona to be exact.
The flexibility of an online education program is a winning formula for a high-performing athlete with international aspirations, ASU Prep Digital officials contend. Remaining in the German education system would have required him to take a few steps back to gain a stronger foundation in the German language before he could complete graduation requirements.
To better learn why the Colon family chose ASU Prep Digital, Independent Newsmedia reached out to learn more about Adrian and the innovative digital education program. This is what he had to say:
•What an incredible experience and life pursuit you are undertaking. Why so much drive?
The reason why I have so much drive to pursue soccer, and why I have sacrificed my family, friends and teenage experience to do so, is because I’ve had this goal ever since I was 6 which was to play professional soccer and I will do everything I can in order to do so. Soccer is what makes me most happy, and playing it every day for the rest of my life is what I want more than anything and nothing excites me more. So many people look up to me and one day I want to be able to say I made it.
•Ultimately, what are you trying to accomplish with your soccer career?
I’m trying to become a professional soccer player. Not just an average player but one that’s playing at the top levels in Germany, England or in Spain. I also want to be able to represent the United States nationally in soccer and win the World Cup with them in 2026, which is my dream. I want to show people that no matter what challenges you face anything is possible, and I want to do that by making it to that level with the hard path I’m taking.
•What position do you play and what can you tell me of your current squad?
I play left-back and right-back for the u21 for 1.Fc Kaiserslautern. My squad is full of talented players from many different places. Each player has their own talent that sets them apart from the other players. With all the individual talent we have, we are able to bring that together and create a team with great chemistry that plays like we’re a family.
•What are you most proud of accomplishing on the pitch?
On the pitch, I’m most proud of seeing how much better I can perform than how I played in the last game or with the other players on the pitch. I’m the kind of player that wants to be seen and different from the others. I love scoring goals and making assists and of course, winning games is what I love the most.
•How is ASU Prep Digital making it possible for you to pursue this dream?
ASU Prep Digital is making it possible for me to pursue this dream because it gives me so much flexibility to train multiple times during the day while also getting all the education I need as well.
•What does ASU Prep Digital allow you to do that separates its program from the rest of the pack?
ASU Prep Digital allows me to take things at my own pace, which for me is the best I can ask for. This lets me be able to focus on soccer a lot more than I usually would with school.
