Competitive Midfielder,
Youth Mentor & Resilient Leader.
Hi, I'm Roger Zhang. A dedicated student-athlete at Archbishop Mitty HS, driven by relentless grit on the pitch and four years of servant leadership in the wilderness with White Stag. Channeling competitive teamwork, tactical intelligence, and community service into empowering the next generation.
Athletic Dedication & Sports Leadership
Resilience on the Pitch & Community Mentorship
Combining elite athletic excellence and unyielding resilience with a profound heart for community sports—mentoring mainstream youth, officiating competitive matches, and guiding special-needs athletes.
Competitive Athletic Foundation
Bay Area Surf MLS Next Academy
Central Midfield Playmaker (#41) • MLS NEXT & San Diego Surf Cup Qualifiers
Archbishop Mitty High School
JV Men's Soccer Midfielder & Frosh Football Kicker (WCAL)
Competitive Swimming (12 Years)
Unbroken training since age 4; cornerstone of physical conditioning
Tactical Vision & Tempo Control
Operating as a central midfield playmaker (#6/#8), Roger dictates match rhythm through proactive spatial anticipation, high-pressure ball recovery, and surgical progressive distribution.
The Visual Journey: From Setback to Triumph
An authentic photo chronicle capturing Roger's two-year journey of surgical recovery, solitary rehab, and return to competitive excellence.
Ready for ACL Reconstruction
Lying in the hospital bed on surgery morning, Roger faced the biggest physical setback of his athletic life with calm, steady optimism.
Smiling on Crutches at Home
Returning home with a locked brace and ice cooling tubes, Roger stood on crutches with a radiant smile, refusing to complain or dwell in self-pity.
Rebuilding Strength & Quad Activation
Undergoing daily physical therapy and neuromuscular stimulation to wake up the quad muscles and rebuild joint stability.
Patience & Healing at the Piano
With running off the table, Roger channeled his focus into the grand piano, practicing with his brace-locked leg propped up.
Leading White Stag on a 1-Mile Medical Clearance
Securing special doctor permission to walk 1 mile daily, Roger served on youth staff at summer camp, mentoring 100+ younger scouts.
The 15-Minute Test in a Heavy Knee Brace
Eager to overcome psychological hesitation, Roger asked his coach for 15 live minutes on the pitch, testing his knee in real game competition.
Archbishop Mitty Soccer Banquet Honors
Celebrating with teammates after earning back his Jr. Varsity jersey and fighting his way to a 4.16 weighted GPA.
Explore All 78 Moments
Discover the complete chronological visual archive documenting Roger's two-year journey across medical, athletic, and community milestones.
Empowering Youth & Championing Integrity
CYBL Basketball Assistant Coach
DOJ Live Scan fingerprinted; coached 4th/5th grade Pears Team across 10 games and training sessions (23 verified service hours).
USSF Licensed Soccer Referee
Certified by the California North State Referee Committee (CNSRC) to officiate competitive youth matches, upholding fairness and sportsmanship.
FCSN Adaptive Sports Mentor
Dedicated to the FCSN Advanced Sports Program, coaching children with motor and cognitive challenges in cricket and fundamental athletic coordination.
Servant Leadership & Civic Impact
White Stag Leadership Program (Venture Crew 122)
Four years of continuous dedication to youth mentorship, outdoor leadership, and empowering the next generation in the California wilderness.
636
Verified Service Hours
President's Volunteer Service Award
Phase 3
Troop Counselor
Highest Youth Staff Tier
90%
Camper Return Rate
4-Year Sustained Mentorship
PVSA Gold Award
View White House Letter ↗
Empowering the Next Generation: The Candidates Patrol
After conquering an intensive 7-day wilderness leadership challenge, all candidate participants and fellow staff gathered under the camp canopy around Roger to celebrate mutual growth.
Frontline Public Advocacy & Ceremonial Recognition
Authentic field recordings capturing Roger's charisma as an outdoor public speaker and ceremonial camp leader.
Candidate Recruitment & Team Enlistment
Presenting under the redwood canopy, inspiring prospective candidates and explaining the core patrol method.
Camp Keynote & Candidate Commendation
Holding the ceremonial wooden stag plaque and troop banner in the circle of honor, delivering the official graduation address.
"White Stag taught me that real leadership isn't about giving orders; it's about being the 'Guide on the Side.' When you focus on serving the team and listening to each individual, you give others the confidence to discover their own strength."
Scholarly Resilience & Tactical Data Inquiry
Applying analytical thinking to the sports he loves and proving academic discipline through real-world athletic and medical challenges.
Academic Turnaround: 3.34 ➔ 4.16+ GPA
Refusing to let an ACL surgery derail his academic trajectory, Roger balanced daily physical therapy, MLS Next national academy travel, and schoolwork—raising his semester GPA to 4.16+ weighted (culminating in a 4.23 UC Fully Weighted GPA and Principal's Honor Roll).
Inspirit AI: Applied Machine Learning
Completed an intensive artificial intelligence curriculum mentored by Stanford and MIT alumni—learning fundamental machine learning algorithms in Python and collaborating on an applied data analytics capstone project.
Dual Math & Computing Rigor
Excelling across AP Computer Science A (Java), Physics, and Calculus, while concurrently taking AP Calculus AB and AP Statistics in senior year alongside AP Economics—building an unshakeable quantitative foundation.
Visual Arts & Introspective Reflections
A continuous creative outlet providing patience, focus, and quiet balance alongside competitive athletics—culminating in national congressional and regional memorial honors.
Threads of the 250th: Weaving Our Future
Exhibited entry for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition (CA-16 / Rep. Sam Liccardo) showcase at Menlo College. A reflection on America's 250th anniversary depicting Mount Rushmore intertwined with the waving flag, symbolizing the youth adding their strength to weave a more perfect union.
The Power of One: Remembering Iris Chang
Excellence Award in the Iris Chang Memorial 20th Anniversary Art Competition (Grade 10). A profound humanitarian reflection honoring the legacy of author and human rights champion Iris Chang.
Composition in Light
An impressionistic plein-air oil study capturing natural sunlight filtering through lush woodland onto an architectural archway and verdant lawn.
Sunlit Country Cottage
An impressionistic oil landscape capturing a cozy cottage with vibrant orange roof tiles, surrounded by lush trees, green lawn, and a stone wall.
Woodland Cabin
An expressive landscape study depicting a rustic wooden cabin nestled among golden and green forest foliage with fence details.
Mountain Cascade
A dynamic oil landscape capturing a rushing mountain stream flowing over dark rocks, framed by towering evergreen pine trees and alpine slopes.
Victorian Heritage
A vibrant architectural oil painting portraying a charming yellow Victorian residence adorned with the American flag under a brilliant blue sky with soft clouds.
Beacon at Sunset
An expressive impasto oil painting featuring a classic red-and-white striped lighthouse standing watch as ocean waves meet the warm hues of a sunset sky.
Piano Repertoire & Sunday Outreach
Classical piano has been a twelve-year anchor of personal discipline, patience, and focus. Achieving Certificate of Merit (CM) Level 10 with State Honors earned him an invitation to perform at the MTAC State Convention, but his deepest musical joy comes from sharing live music with others.
Beyond exam honors, Roger brings his music where it can comfort and connect—regularly performing on the lobby concert grand piano at Marbella Senior Living to bring warmth, familiar classical melodies, and companionship to elderly residents.
J.S. Bach
Well-Tempered Clavier
L.v. Beethoven
Pathétique Sonata, Op. 13
Frédéric Chopin
Nocturnes & Ballades
Authentic vertical live footage performing classical pieces on the concert grand.