Meet Alex Navarro Salgado | Soccer player & computer specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex Navarro Salgado and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, how do you think about risk?
Risks, what are they? Are they a simple choice of do I want this or that? Or, if I do this, this will happen? No, risks are a choice to sacrifice the thing you love most for an opportunity that is not determined.

Recently, I stroke this same position of choices. I am a 15 year old boy, who just entered freshman year in high school. Throughout my first year in high school, the school councilor offered me IT collage classes during sophomore year. Why did the councilor IT collage classes to a freshman? Well, I for one have been working with computers since the age of 7. The year I fixed a DVD driver failure on a janky old desktop computer, ever since I have been repairing, building, installing newer software and components within desktops. Since, I know so much about computers I could not deny such a great offer of taking IT classes next year. Then, I registered for the collage class, applied for scholarships to cover the cost, and I got accepted.

Okay this sounds good and all, but where is the risk?

Well, months later, I got invited for Colorado Rapids ITP tryouts. Here is when you find out my other passion, soccer. During my freshman year I also played soccer, I made it varsity, and also scored the last goal of our season. If you know soccer, you know how much effort you need to place in a game for 90 minutes. I always played full time, never got subbed out. Always running, never stopping as a right wing back. That means I played defense and offense full time. From all that work in the pitch, I was given an opportunity to play for Colorado rapids U17 national league. This league is year long, games are during weekdays and weekends at 10am-12pm. These game dates affect school hours I need for my collage classes.

The risk, the choice of focusing efforts on school, or following my love for soccer that I have worked so hard for. I know I need school, and I know my crazy love for soccer. I want to choose both, but I can’t do both. Every time you talk about following your dreams, everyone always says, “do what you love”, “if you do what you love, it is not work for you”. Am I really going to sacrifice collage classes for a sport? The short answer, yes. It hurts, I know school is important, I know I am doing so well in school I am taking advanced math and English classes, and even collage classes not for my grade level. I am sacrificing such a big future with school with a future of soccer. Now that’s taking a risk.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets me apart from others? What makes me unique?
What makes me different from others is that I give it my all in everything. I want to become a good soccer player, look at me, a freshman in high school already playing for varsity. If we include the fact that I’ve been playing soccer for 8 years, you would be able to tell just by the way I play in positioning and in tactics. Okay, that’s one example, another is how much experience with computer’s I’ve gained. At the age of 7, I was able to repair a DVD driver failure on an old desktop computer. I was 7, after that day, I’ve been installing newer components on computers, software, and drivers. Now guess who is always helping their friends with computers haha. I took robotics classes during elementary school since I was advanced in math, and now I really know how to play with legos. The amount of effort I give to school is amazing, I’m currently taking advanced math and English for my grade, while playing soccer, and modifying computer’s at home. Of course this is not easy, some days I stay up at night working on improving my computer software with additions. Other days, I am working out and practicing soccer. Weekends, who doesn’t want to sleep, but this is what I love, that’s why I do it. The way I overcome all these practices is by drinking energy drinks, while they are not healthy, they are a work around of sleepiness. I’ve tried being a entrepreneur, it worked, by selling coffee to my fellow classmates. But as always all great things come to an end, buying coffee from me trend died, then I went back to my regular life. Selling coffee lasted 3 months, not bad for a start. From what I’ve learned by all of this, is that you always need to try something new everyday. Create your own opportunities because they don’t come to your door. You need to build your worth yourself, no one else cares, follow your mind not your heart. You heart will make you take dumb risks while your mind calculates them. Finally, trust your god, he’ll always be with you. I want the world to know that I will always strive forward, nothing will ever hold me back. I will become a soccer player, nothing will stop me at all.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my friend ever visited me in Colorado, I would first take them to Red Rocks. Red rocks has amazing views of the mountains, and the city. Who wouldn’t want to look at that. Then, we’d go buy lunch at subway, gota get that protein. After, maybe play a quick pick-up soccer game at soccer city in Aurora. A little exercise doesn’t hurt.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This shoutout goes to:

My mom and dad, who were always backing up my dreams, allowing me to play soccer for youth leagues and high school leagues. Also, for investing in me with building my first computer.

To school councilor Miss Chelsey, for offering me IT collage classes during sophomore year.

Soccer coaches I’ve been with, for always pushing me to do more than what I can do.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexsoccercarrer/

Other: https://www.instagram.com/lifesformality/

Image Credits
1. Camera guy: Luis
2. Camera guy: APS ALLSTAR