I am adopted, born in South Korea, but I lived most of my life in Houston, Texas. Growing up I started Tae Kwon Do and baseball and got into both of them at a young age. I eventually got my black belt in Tae Kwon Do and at this point I had also started playing soccer. My parents and I quickly realized was playing too many sports with too many practices and was all over the place, and because of some school friends kind of just went all in playing soccer. I eventually made four year varsity on our high school soccer team where we were district champions all four years, and three year state runner ups. From there I made it to Denison University and was a part of their soccer team for a few years, bringing me to Ohio.
Throughout my life some of my greatest influences were different coaches and mentors I have had. One highly formative moment for me was being one of two freshman on our high school's varsity soccer team. I believed and knew there were better and more talented players in my grade who tried out, but I was the only freshman who showed up to every pre-season conditioning session and "optional" workouts and I was given a chance. The same high school coach said something that always stuck with me, "practice makes permanent." I know that as long as I am enjoying myself and passionate about something it makes it easy to pour my energy into myself and the people around me.
My purpose to coaching is to better myself as an athlete and a coach as well as bettering those who I build relationships with. My goal is to relate to and push any athlete I connect with, whether they are trying to be healthier, trying to be a competitive athlete, or just trying to figure it out what it is they do want. I know there is a whole range of motivations for people and their fitness and wellness: whether it is losing weight, or gaining weight, running faster, lifting heavier/better, getting their first pull-up, or anything else under the sun I want to be able to help people reach those goals. I was the kid who grew up skinny with huge self-confidence issues, I would wear a sun shirt when swimming not because I was worried about sunburn at all just because I was self-conscious about how skinny I was. I know that there are so many facets to health/fitness and I hope that I can help be a part of that journey for others. Some days that comes in the form of encouragement for athletes, pushing them to accomplish things they did not think they could, or some days they just need a friend with a high five or a hug or someone to talk to.
.png)
