From Humble Roots to Harvard: Edwin’s 2021 Reflection

My name is Edwin Dominguez and I’m 18 years old. I live in Riverside, California with my parents and three siblings. I'M GOING TO BE THE FIRST IN MY FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE—AND NOT JUST ANY COLLEGE, I’M GOING TO HARVARD!

My parents immigrated from Mexico to the United States when they were young. My dad never went to high school and started working when he got to the U.S. He now works as a tow truck driver, picking up junk cars. My mom did attend high school, but never finished. She sometimes helps my dad at work. She used to work at a gas station but suffered from a stress-related illness that can be fatal, and since then, she has been helping my dad instead.

When I was a kid, I lived with my cousins for most of my life, and it wasn’t until I was 10 years old that my family and I moved into an apartment of our own. My cousins were older than me and always talked about going to college. I always had it in my mind that I wouldn’t go to college unless it was Harvard. I gave it my all in school because I was good at math and learning in general. At the same time, I played soccer in my city’s local leagues.

When I was 10, my dad met a man who offered me the chance to play for a local club, Corinthians SC. He told my dad all the great things about the club and that they were in first place in their league, the Coast Soccer League of Cal South. I was really excited to be part of the project, and surprisingly, I played as a goalkeeper that season. At the time, I was able to play for that team and pay for it thanks to support from fundraising efforts held to help me.

A year later, a new coach, Jeremy Healey, gave me the opportunity to play on the field, and I gave it my all to stand out. My coach knew Mr. Steven Hoffman, who was in charge of Cal South’s ODP (Olympic Development Program), and he helped me get an invitation to the open tryouts. The tryouts cost $100 per session, we had to drive almost two hours, and I had to leave school early many times. For my family, that was a lot of money and sacrifice at the time, but fortunately, Mrs. Kathy Hoffman waived all the fees so I could stay in the program. I remember with gratitude that she gave my family and me new sweaters and shoes — a true blessing.

I was in the Cal South ODP program for a year, and that’s where I met a player from F.C. Golden State named Alejandro Araneda. His dad told my dad that F.C. Golden State was going to play in a tournament to qualify for the VW Junior World Masters in Paris, France. He invited me to train with the team, and the coach decided to include me on the roster for the tournament. We won the tournament and got to go to France for the VW Junior World Masters — an unforgettable experience. After that came the news that F.C. Golden State would join the U.S. Soccer Development Academy League, and I thought it would be my last time playing for them. But to my surprise, the coach offered me a spot in the academy. Even though I had to drive 45 minutes to practice four times a week, I always felt proud to be part of the academy.

I should say that while I was in the Cal South ODP program and with F.C. Golden State, I was also taking challenging classes at school. The dream of becoming a professional soccer player clouded my college goals, but I still chose to take the hardest classes (AP and honors) to keep challenging myself instead of taking the easy way. It was hard to get good grades while improving in soccer — I went through many sleepless nights because of all the homework, though I always made sure to finish it before practice. I always gave my best in school to make my parents proud and take advantage of the opportunities they never had.

In my second season with F.C. Golden State, I tore a ligament in my ankle during a match against the San Jose Earthquakes. The doctors told me I’d be out for six months, but I’ve never given up and this time wouldn’t be the exception. Taking good care of myself, and with the support of my parents and coaches, I was back training just seven weeks later. Life sometimes throws tough challenges your way, and a year later, a teammate injured the same ankle, which kept me on the bench for a long time. Again, I pushed forward with determination and a never-give-up attitude. At the end of the season, my coach gave me the chance to play the last two matches of the DA Playoffs. And how lucky I was — that’s when I met Beto Vega from the Yours in Soccer Foundation, who invited me to the summer program in San Diego that they run in partnership with ACCESS U Foundation.

In that program, I met Rafa Calderon, Juan Covarrubias, Gloria Vega, and the entire staff. They opened my eyes: “soccer isn’t forever,” they said. Through the guest speakers and activities, I realized that having a solid career was the ideal path for life. So, with the support of Rafa, Juan, Beto, and Gloria (YSF & ACCESS U), I started reaching out to college coaches. They also helped me obtain and pay for the Princeton SAT Review course so I could prepare for the SAT.

A lot of time passed, and I spoke with many college coaches. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit my recruiting process hard. But in August 2020, Beto connected me with the new coach at Harvard (Josh Shapiro), and we started talking a lot. He told me he’d offer me a spot on the soccer team if the university accepted me as a student. Without hesitation, I submitted my application, and in December, the miracle happened: I GOT ACCEPTED INTO HARVARD! Right after finding out, I spoke with the coach and we agreed: I was going to play soccer for Harvard University and study there with the same passion and drive that defines me. I’m still playing and training, preparing for the fall college season, and studying hard to keep my grades up and get ready for the challenging classes at Harvard.

My family and I are eternally grateful and extremely excited for what’s ahead!