Columbus School 9th grader Emilio Mora was awed when he was accepted to play with the under 17 team of club 25 Export, a prestigious soccer club that competes in some of the most important tournaments in Antioquia. In the month since he began playing for the club, he has faced many challenges learning to manage his education, personal relationships and training.

11th grader Pablo Gongas is a veteran on his soccer team, the Aguilas Doradas, since he began playing in the Antioquian League when he was 13 years old as a center forward. With all of this time playing at the most elite level in the department, he has learned to alternate time between studying and training, but admits this has proven to be a challenge.

“I train from 12:30 to 3 so I leave school at 11:20 so I attend the first three blocks and miss the other three. It has been very difficult for me because I need help with some of the classes I miss, but I’m trying to keep my grades up,” Gongas said.

Gongas has been a part of the TCS soccer team as well as of Aguilas Doradas, and he says the differences are huge. While his teammates at school train maximum 3 or 4 times a week, he trains on a daily basis and for more time each session. At the Columbus School, everyone is accepted on the team, while in Aguilas, only the best players are accepted. If a player isn’t producing at the level expected by the coach, they can be kicked out.

Many sacrifices need to be made by students athletes. For example, Gongas goes out with his friends on Fridays but he is always at home before 11 because he needs to get plenty of sleep a to be prepared to play on Saturdays. Because of his time commitments, Mora needed to drop out of pre-calculus as his elective for 10th grade because he didn’t had time to study for a demanding class.

With just a month on the team, Mora an offensive midfielder, has noticed the difference in the intensity level. Before he was part of the 25 Export he had never been to a gym before, now he works out at least 3 times a week to maintain an optimum physical condition. Another change, his teammates are not his school friends anymore, but athletes from all over Colombia who come to Medellin to chase the dream of becoming professional football players. Finally, coaches are very demanding as they expect players to play at the highest level always.

“I have noticed that Emilio is making a strong effort, even though he seems very tired at the end of some training sessions. We don’t judge him for that because he is just getting used to training at this level of intensity,” Jorge Barreneche, coach of 25 Export, said.

Gongas goal is to become a pro. He has proven his potential with his results through the years that he is on the path to making it. His chances are good as he is playing in the lower division of a pro team, which means he can make the jump to the pro team at any time.

“I think that my chances of becoming a professional soccer players are very high. I’m playing very good, the project of the professional team is to help the lower level players make the team. I think in 1 year or 2 I can become a professional player,” Gongas said.

He knows things don’t always go as planned, so he is always thinking of studying if he doesn’t becomes a professional soccer player.

“I want to study psychology or physiotherapy or both while I play. I don’t how’s the future going to go but if I don’t become a professional player I will study both,” Gongas said.

Mora’s goal and dream is also to become pro, but as Gongas he has a plan B as he knows the chance of becoming pro is a long shot. If Mora isn’t able to become pro, he is planning to use his soccer skills to get a scholarship in the United States where he will be able to keep playing soccer at a high level.

Both Mora and Gongas will play in the under-18A league this season. Gongas is also playing the Antioquia’s under-20 tournament  and the under-17 national tournament despite being just 16 years old. While Mora is only 14 years old he will make his debut in the Antioquia’s under-18 league.

“I have seen Gongas play and I think that he is the best player at our school, maybe we will face off in this league and I am hoping that my team wins, I think that he can make it to become a pro but I also believe in myself and I will make everything to reach my goal” Mora said.