Michelle's International Futsal Experience

My name is Michelle Betancourt. I am a sophomore at Harding Academy, where I play on the varsity soccer team. I have also played competitive soccer with Futsal Escola Sports club for the last 10 years. Soccer runs in my family, and I can honestly say it is part of my blood.

My parents migrated to the US from Mexico, and this has brought many hardships to my family. My parents come from a tiny town in Mexico, and life growing up for them was tough. They had little to no money and were living in poverty. As a result, they migrated to the US, hoping to get more opportunities to provide a better life for my siblings and me. Thankfully by God’s grace, they have been quite successful raising 4 children here in the US but at times, it still get challenging. My parents are the most hardworking people I know. They work from to day in to day out, 12 hours days 6 days a week just so they can make enough to sustain our family. This schedule does not allow much family time or free time for them to watch my games or take me to practices. Typically, I go to morning school soccer practices at 6:15 am, then school from 8 am - 3 pm, after school soccer practices from 3:30-5pm, get home, do homework, and by the time I’m done, it will be about 11 pm, and that is usually the time my parents are coming home from work. I try to stay up with them a bit to get some time to talk with them, but I usually end up falling asleep before I can see them. Being a first-generation immigrant is really hard. It takes lots of responsibility and independence because you are born trying to adapt to two completely different cultures and understand life on your own.

I was introduced to soccer at a very young age because my dad played soccer growing up and wanted my brother and me to play soccer. At age 5, I met Coach Rafa Rodriguez, and my life changed completely from that forward. He was my first-ever coach and still is my coach in school. Rafa has played a significant role in my life and has been there for the whole process (still happening) of my athletic development. Not only has he helped me but he is always helping my family. He truly is one of the biggest blessings God has sent my family and me. He has made me not only the player but also the person I’m today and I could be more grateful to share my journey with him. Throughout my journey of wanting to play soccer I faced many struggles. The biggest struggles have been the lack of transportation, having to rely on my friends parents to see who can swing by and give me a ride to and from practices, attending parent meetings for my parents, etc… I have made many sacrifices to ensure I make my parents proud and able to accomplish my goals in soccer. I worked very hard by completing countless amounts of training, running, lifting weights, watching soccer/futsal games, anything and everything that would benefit me in my soccer career.

This past spring I was given the opportunity to attend a United States Youth Futsal ID clinic in Birmingham, AL. After spending the weekend training, I was then chosen to participate at their National Training Camp in Kansas City in July 2022. This was such a unique and great experience, the goal fo the camp was to stand out so you can be called to represent the USYF in Lisbon, Portugal this upcoming December 2022. I never imagined I would be called, but I know that I went to the camp, did my best, and left everything in God’s hands. Little did I know that I would receive an email a few weeks later stating I was selected as a player to go to Lisbon, Portugal!

This trip is essential to me because it is such a huge opportunity and a dream of mine that I would have never imagined getting. This trip will impact me and my journey because I will get different perspectives from different coaches and learn new ideas to better myself at the sport I love with my whole heart. As well as building connections with different people around the world.

The only obstacle in my way of this happening is the hefty cost that comes with it. I know my parents will do whatever they have to and pick up more hours to be able to make this happen for me, but I want to try to help them not feel the burden of this so much. So have created a go fund to help me raise the funds I will need for the trip. The trip will cost $5,500, covering airfare and participation in the program. I am putting myself out there to see if I can make this trip a possibility and have it be a burden on my family.

Someday, God willing, I hope to reach my dreams of getting to the top and be able to repay my parents and Rafa for all the sacrifices they have made for me.

If you would like to help me make this opportunity possible, please follow my go fund me link below.

Thank you and God Bless you all,

Michelle Betancourt