Mike Gridley/New England Soccer Journal
Ever since I started playing sports, I wanted to be like Pelé. I also wanted to play second base for the New York Yankees like Willie Randolph, or I wanted to be in the Olympics like Nadia Comaneci.
Those star athletes influenced my dreams, but it was my family that influenced my reality.
I watched my dad take the train into New York every day from Connecticut and then get home and come to my brother’s game or my game or go play in his softball league. He never complained how much he hated the commute; he just did it and he did it for us. His hard work was a big example for me.
