Roland Merrill '17 Recruiting Profile

I like soccer because it was the first sport I learned how to play.  My Auntie Mele used to take me across the street to Ft. DeRussey and kick the ball with me.  Since then I spent many years in Kapiolani Park with teams my father coached and was eventually exposed to a retired premier level coach who took our team to Las Vegas and achieved a National Rank of 746.  My parents tell me and I feel the happiest when I have played a good competitive soccer match.

My goal is to be able to afford to live in Hawaii without having to rely on my parents. I like Hawaii because it is where I grew up and where I want to be. I love the beach, the weather, and the people.   I enjoy spending time at the beach, swimming, surfing, and hiking. I love the consistent weather and the friendly people. Another quality I enjoy about Hawaii is how you’re never too far from anything, whether it’s a shopping center, the beach, or a hiking site. I like the feeling of the me being surrounded by ocean when I’m on the island.

I want to go to college because it will allow me to continue playing soccer.  There is little competitive soccer in Hawaii after High School. Only two colleges have men’s soccer teams, Hawaii Pacific University and Chaminade, and they have to travel to California to compete.  My soccer skills are much better than my academic skills primarily because I like playing soccer more than I like studying.  That will change the older I get.  College is a bridge to a professional career, hopefully playing soccer, but at the minimum allows me to live in Hawaii when I am older.