Juan Pablo is a 15-year-old seventh-grade student with a warm heart, a strong sense of responsibility, and a genuine love for being part of a team. At school, he belongs to the media group, where he enjoys participating as a student news reporter. He is sweet, caring, and highly committed—when Juan Pablo sets a goal, he approaches it with focus and dedication.

He loves helping others, serving his community, and feeling included. Juan Pablo enjoys greeting people, participating in activities, and being visible. He has many acquaintances and truly loves to socialize, even when social interactions can sometimes be challenging for him. He is active, collaborative, and always eager to learn new things.

His Journey Within the Autism Spectrum

Juan Pablo is part of the Autism Spectrum, which affects aspects of his motor skills, social interactions, and emotional communication. At times, he finds it difficult to understand double meanings or certain social cues.

Despite these challenges, Juan Pablo shows remarkable strengths. He has an excellent memory, strong perception, great focus, and—most importantly—a constant desire to grow and improve. He dreams of becoming a sports announcer or sports journalist, combining his voice, knowledge, and passion for soccer.

A Deep Passion for Soccer

Soccer has been Juan Pablo’s greatest passion since early childhood. He lives, studies, and dreams about soccer and its history. For many years, he longed to be part of a team but struggled to find a place among neurotypical peers.

Today, as a proud member of a soccer team designed for inclusion, Juan Pablo feels accepted and valued. Through soccer, he has significantly improved his motor skills and confidence. At school, he also plays as a goalkeeper, and in his free time, he is almost always playing soccer in one way or another. He dreams of becoming a soccer commentator or sports journalist and narrating matches for the world to hear.

Love for Entertainment and Culture

Juan Pablo especially enjoys movies related to soccer and personal growth. One of his favorites is Rocky, a story that deeply inspires him. In earlier years, Titanic was his favorite, and currently, he loves The Party’s Over (1978).

He has a strong interest in history and classical music, particularly the music of Carlos Gardel. His tastes are deep and meaningful, and at the moment, his favorite song is “The Measure of a Man”—along with all the music from the Rocky movies.

Special Interests and Creativity

Juan Pablo has a special fascination with the history of soccer. He loves writing and narrating matches, recreating games through play, and representing real-world soccer matches. He plays soccer at school, in the cafeteria, and even invents matches using LEGO figures.

He also enjoys watching anime, spending time with friends, and attending his soccer classes. Juan Pablo is an active, creative young boy who is happiest when he is moving, learning, and expressing himself.

Growth Through Autism Soccer

Since joining Autism Soccer, Juan Pablo has shown remarkable progress. He has improved his motor skills, mobility, teamwork, memory, and neurological regulation. Every day with the team is special to him, and soccer has become his favorite activity.

He truly enjoys sharing time with his teammates and often stays for extra training sessions. Currently, Juan Pablo proudly serves as the team’s goalkeeper and captain, a role he fulfills with joy, responsibility, and pride.

Dreams and Expectations – Hiroshima

Traveling to Hiroshima represents the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Juan Pablo: representing the United States in the first Autism Soccer World Cup. This experience would be truly transformative—traveling as a team, discovering a new culture, and visiting new stadiums around the world.

Juan Pablo dreams of traveling internationally, interviewing influential figures in soccer, and sharing their stories as a sports journalist. For our family, it would be an incredible honor to support him and witness the realization of this beautiful dream.