The day is bright and hot in Los Angeles, California. Senior Rayan Arya rides his scooter through the busy streets, trying to arrive on time for his last day of his UCLA data science summer program. For his final day, it was essential that he make it on time to present a project that he and his group members had been working on tirelessly. Everything was going smoothly, and it seemed like he was going to make it on time, until he was struck by a car at the intersection. However, this did not stop Rayan. With an adrenaline rush, he sprung back up, got the man’s insurance and continued to hurry to his summer program.

“I had a sprained thumb, which still hasn’t fully healed years later,” Rayan said. “For about two and a half weeks I had a splint on my thumb because it was pretty swollen. It was something that I struggled with throughout the season, but it wasn’t something that made my job completely undoable. I just pushed through.”

Rayan’s resilience and dedication to a team carries over into football, where he is the quarterback and captain of the team. Teammate and co-captain junior Jackson Powell noticed Rayan’s teamwork and natural leadership as soon as he met him.

“When I was a frosh, I was nervous about playing football. I looked up to him because he was a grade above me, and he was committed,” Jackson said. “And that built trust as teammates, because I trust 100% he’s going to give everything he has. He was a role model who has shaped my high school football career by helping me become the player that I am.”

Both on and off the field, Rayan shows loyalty and reliability in his relationships. Senior Rushil Jaiswal, a close friend since frosh year, appreciates how Rayan can be helpful in any situation. 

“When I have a problem I genuinely don’t know how to deal with or life issues that are really important to figure out, he’s one person I can rely on more than anyone,” Rushil said. “I can always count on him to be there for me when I’m going through my lowest lows or even my highest highs. He’s the first person I tell.”

Along with his reliability, Rayan maintains composure in many situations. Close friend senior Sahil Varma often notices the level of confidence and calmness Rayan maintains.

“Rayan has always been calm and level headed,” Sahil said. ”He has that personality where he’s very confident but not too egotistical. That was my first impression of Rayan and that’s stayed true for the last seven years that I’ve known him.”

However, Rayan also faced considerable challenges during his time on the team, especially physical injuries. Through these experiences, he learned the values of persistence and self-confidence, qualities that influence many aspects of his life.

“Adversity is something that I’ve really learned through football,” Rayan said. “Because in football you’re going to get hit, and you have to push through it. Football gave me that mentality that I’m going to push through it. It’s very applicable to other things in life as well. If you get rejected from a job, you’re going to find an opportunity that just fits you better. That whole mentality of not giving up is important to football.”

Football fundamentally shaped who Rayan is today, which has been important in his personal growth. He notes how essential football has been in his life, as it taught him key lessons. 

“I can’t see a world where I hadn’t chosen football, because there isn’t really any other sport that I would have played, but I would be a lot less mature,” Rayan said. “A lot of the things that I’ve learned from football is difficult to learn them from other places.”

Rayan’s journey in football gave him the drive to do his complete best in anything. Throughout his high school career, he learned to be reliable and powerful in both football and his connections.

“You have to give 100% in whatever you do,” Rayan said. “If you only have 10% and you give that 10% then you actually gave 100%. I think that really speaks to football, because if you make a mistake, make it 100% and be quick with it. But oftentimes you’re tired and you’re hurt, so your 100% is really 20%. If you still find a way to dig deep and give that 20%, then that’s good on you.”