Dyspraxia Foundation USA’s Post

Transcript

It's 915. Welcome back everyone. Soccer is the world's most popular sport, completely dominating the international athletic scene. And this morning we are happy to be joined by former professional player Jeremiah White, the third. Good morning to you, Jeremiah. Good morning. How are you today? I'm doing well, so good to chat with you this morning. Now, we know that you have had a stellar career in soccer, but you have roots right here locally as well. You were an all American athlete at the Haverford School. Can you tell us a little bit more about your early years in the sport? Early My early years started with FC Delco and Haverford School like you mentioned and I really had a great support system and and and family structure. My dad played soccer as well, so I had really, really strong mentors and great coaches. Well, that's amazing. Now you went on also to play for Team USA, we understand. So what was that experience like for you? Well, I went to, I decided to go to Europe to play for about about a decade. But during that. I I had the chance to represent our, our great country and it was just a tremendous honor to have that that happened for me and for my family. I think, you know, that was that's every kid's dream in the States to play and internationally and represent represent the US. So it was a huge honor. Amazing. Now we understand also that you're not the only soccer superstar in the family these days, your son Jeremiah the 4th, he's also a talented player. He's on the USA U16 National Teams and tell us about him. So he's a he's an awesome kid he he's he's just fantastic and and he's put a lot of work in. He made the national team at I believe 14 1/2 so he's been on the team for a few years now and has just exceeded all expectations and you know I'm just enjoying watching him fulfill his goal, his journey and and follow his his his journey and and fulfill his his goals. So it's really great as a father to watch him strive to. Yeah, yeah, you're certainly a proud soccer dad. Any advice that you've given him so far? Ohh yes. Some advice I can share, some I can't but but yes it it's it's really to stay humble work hard and the one thing that's important is if if he wants to be a professional one day it's it's really about a work ethic and and to kind of have that mindset. So great advice. Now aside from soccer we know that you also have a passion for advocacy as well you advocate on behalf of people with disabilities. So tell us how that was funded and more about your advocacy there. No, thank you for that. So my, my oldest son plays soccer. My second oldest son, Daniel White, he has, he has a neurological disorder called dyspraxia. And what dyspraxia is, is, is it impacts your processing language and speech coordination memory and judgment. So we went, his mother and I went through this process really our whole family we went, we went through this process of trying to figure out what Daniel was suffering from and it was really challenging to figure it out. But ultimately we found out that he had Dyspraxia. He's in a great school, great environment, but that challenge of of getting to the point where we can get him the appropriate services was challenging. So I joined the Dyspraxia USA Foundation and we have I was just recently elected chair of the board and it's it's a great mission with great folks but what we realized was dyspraxia impacts a lot of folks. So on our board we've got people from the NBA, the NFL obviously soccer from Hollywood as well and it just practices touched all of our families and and and folks that we know. So you know we have a we have a mission to to help spread the word and and and advocate on behalf of dyspraxia and just let people know what this this this neurological disorder is. But then the other the piece is, is providing services and support for families. Yeah, such an important mission. We totally understand that now the Women's World Cup. Lastly, we gotta ask you about that is happening now. Defending champion Team USA taking on Sweden on Sunday. Any predictions for us? That's a tough one. So here's here's my rule of thumb. You never bet against the champ. Right. And I'm always, you know, I'm. I play for the USA. My son plays for the USA. So we're all in on America. So I'm. I'm going with our our girls to to take it. So I'm. I'm always voting for the home team. All right. Team USA. That's right. Thank you so much. Jeremiah. We so enjoyed talking to you. Best of luck to you and your family as well. You take care. Bye. Bye.