Ibrahim Piracha’s (12, MST) journey in soccer began when he was just 2 years old. His involvement with the sport was not out of passion, but rather as a way to improve his agility and balance for tennis. However, what started as an add-on for another sport soon turned into a deep love for soccer.
“I liked soccer, and I continued to play. It grew to be my passion,” Piracha said.
He started his competitive soccer career with the Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club, but quickly moved through various other clubs, including Kentucky Fire Juniors, Ohio Elite, Javanon FC and eventually to Louisville City FC. Each transition marked his determination to be a part of the best of the best, as he continuously pushed himself to improve.
Piracha’s soccer career took off even more when he made both the JV and Varsity teams as a freshman at Manual. After he made the team, his drive to improve helped him understand soccers’ competitive nature, helping him to never look back.
“Tryouts are always competitive, and you have to fight for your spot. Nothing’s given [to you],” Piracha said.
A standout moment of Piracha’s career came as a part of Louisville City FC. After three seasons of development, his team made it to the final four, though they lost under unfortunate circumstances. Piracha began to stand out to coaches, however, while also joining the USL academy team, a developmental program offering exposure to professional coaches for younger, maturing athletes. His performance earned him a significant opportunity to play in his first professional game this past September, marking a major turning point in his career.
“The coach saw that, saw that I performed well and the head coach said they needed a player. So my coach was like ‘Ibra, I need you to come train with them’ so I came, I trained, I performed well and the head coach said come play with us in the final so I trained with them that week prior to the game. That was my first professional game,” Piracha said.
Piracha’s journey as a student-athlete however was met with some difficult paths of injuries, however, including an ankle injury that is one of the most serious injuries for a soccer player. Despite this, Piracha has shown resilience and adaptability, using his injuries to solve problems and grow as a player.
“These injuries have forced me to problem solve and to work around the problem. Whether that is playing a different style or finding a way to impact the team in a way I am not used to, there is always something you can do to make a difference,” Piracha said.
Rather than letting physical limitations affect him, Piracha worked around that, focusing on his strength and composure. His experiences have also taught him the importance of staying healthy for sports in general.
“One bad injury can be detrimental to your future in the sport so it is very important to stay healthy and as injury free as you can. This has reshaped the way I look at sports as it isn’t just a game, but also a lifestyle of how you take care of your body on and off the pitch.”
As a student-athlete at Manual and also a part of the MST magnet, time management is essential to balancing academics and sports.
“There’s not much free time in the day, so when you do have a break, you need to stay on top of your assignments, homework, and recovery,” Piracha said.
In addition to balancing academics and sports, Piracha is also Muslim. Playing soccer while fasting during Ramadan has its own set of challenges, but he embraces them.
“Playing while fasting is obviously very difficult, but it gives you a sense of pride knowing you’re doing it for God. It teaches you self-discipline, which gets you far in life,” Piracha said.
Piracha’s future is bright, as he hopes to continue growing as a soccer player. Whether his journey takes him to playing in college or amongst the professional ranks, he remains focused on becoming the best version of himself.
“I’m going to try my best and see what God has planned for me,” Piracha said.
