Angela Wilson | Intern UAB School of Education | CHHS
Michael Leon is a 22-year-old extraordinary athlete at the prestigious Ivy League University of Michigan. He has achieved impeccable stats while participating in the University of Michigan Men’s soccer program. As a freshman, he started in 3 of the 12 games he played in and achieved a season -high 74 minutes at Oakland. His sophomore year would be equally impressive as he managed to log 84 minutes on the pitch shortly after recovering from a back injury. He has won Allstate and first-team All-star several times and has traveled internationally for training with youth academies. With such a stellar athletic resume, he has a promising future with encouraging prospects. But this modest athlete is not only thinking about how he can make the future better for himself but also wants to make things better for others.
Michael Leon comes from humble beginnings. He was born and raised in Accra, Ghana, and has dreamed of being an athlete ever since he was ten. His love, tenacity, and passion for soccer helped to propel him from his native land to broader horizons. He played ball in Europe and subsequently moved to America to further his education and dreams. After attending The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut and becoming one of the region’s top soccer players, Michael Leon committed to The University of Michigan, where he continues to deliver dynamic performances on and off the soccer field.
Remembering his earlier life in Ghana, Michael Leon is determined to make a difference. He established the Michael Leon Project and partnered with The Uniform Funding Foundation (TUFF) to help provide equipment and uniforms to youths in Ghana. Adam Shibley, the founder of TUFF, created the non-profit organization to help underserved youth sports teams acquire sports gear. Michael Leon approached him with the idea of providing these items to children in his homeland. Earlier this year, Michael Leon and Adam Shibley traveled to Ghana and hand -delivered sports equipment to children at Israel Park in Ghana. Michael Leon is not just a stand-out athlete. He is a compassionate human being who wants to be a role model for his community and provide children with the inspiration and motivation they need to chase their dreams. Although Michael Leon is still pursuing his degree at the University of Michigan, it is almost certain that he will achieve more academic, professional, and philanthropic accomplishments.
References
Sigal, Jonathan. (2019). Recruiting: Hotchkiss Forward Michael Leon Commits to Michigan. https://www.nesoccerjournal.com.
The Uniform Funding Foundation. (2018). https://gettuff.org.
PHAME-US 