Personal Statement

I am Erben Birkhoff, a football player from South Africa who has had the unique opportunity to live on three different continents and experience different cultures, people and languages. Despite initially believing that I was born to play rugby, my family's relocation to the Netherlands exposed me to soccer, which taught me valuable ball handling and footwork skills.

In 2019, my family and I moved to the USA, where I discovered American football and fell in love with the sport. Despite being told that it would be almost impossible to play as a starter for the Tompkins High School Varsity football team as a freshman, I set this as my first real life goal and gave everything I had to achieve it. My hard work and commitment paid off, and I became a starter for the Falcons Tompkins Varsity team in my freshman year.

My dedication and success on the field continued throughout my two high school years, where I have played multiple positions and been recognized as a valuable member of the team. I was awarded the special teams MVP of the 2022/2023 season and was selected to serve on the Falcon's football leadership council.

My ultimate goal is to continue my football career by playing for a college football team and representing my school of choice at the next level. I understand that football is a team sport and I strive to contribute my individual skills and positive attitude to help my team reach its goals.

Outside of football, I am committed to achieving academic success and earning a college degree that will enable me to become a well-educated, well-balanced, and responsible adult. I understand the importance of hard work, resilience, and determination in achieving my goals, and I am always striving to be 1% better every day.

My unique background, adaptability, and commitment to success make me a valuable candidate for any college football team.