Senior midfielder Van Thang has been kicking a soccer ball since he was 5 years old. Thang knew then that he loved soccer, but did not know what the next few years would bring. Today, Thang knows that sacrifice is the reason why he is playing soccer in the United States.<\/p>\n
Thang was born in Burma, now known as Myanmar. When Thang was 6 months old, his father moved to Malaysia to provide for his family. Six years later, Thang\u2019s mother moved to Malaysia to connect with her husband, and Thang was left with his 8-year-old brother, to live with relatives while their parents were away. Thang now knows his parents were doing whatever it took to give him a good future.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy parents will sacrifice anything they have to help me have a better opportunity,\u201d Thang said. \u201cLife was really difficult in Burma. Most of us were farmers: if you didn\u2019t grow your food, you wouldn\u2019t have anything to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Due to the war in Burma, Thang moved with his family to the United States when he was 10. His family moved to Lewisville, Texas, and Thang played soccer at Lewisville High School.<\/p>\n
Thang was encouraged to go to Harding by his high school coach. Former Harding men\u2019s head coach Odie Guzman played for Thang\u2019s high school coach, who contacted Guzman about Thang. Thang said he is very thankful for what Harding has done for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHarding has made a huge impact on my life,\u201d Thang said. \u201cIt\u2019s impacted me spiritually. The people here are Godly people. Seeing them every day motivates me to do better things in life. The professors have impacted me because they actually care about you unlike those at other schools.\u201d<\/p>\n
Head coach Jon Ireland is in his second season coaching the men\u2019s soccer team. In his short time with Thang, he has quickly learned just how important he is to the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cVan is the heart and soul of our team,\u201d Ireland said. \u201cHe\u2019s the hardest worker on our roster. After games, opposing coaches will talk about him because of how hard he plays.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thang was a part of the team that made history last season when they defeated Oklahoma Baptist 2-0 and were crowned Great American Conference champions. Thang said that before that season, he thought about quitting.<\/p>\n
\u201cI almost quit after my sophomore year due to our season performances,\u201d Thang said. \u201cI thought about transferring to a different school but then coach Ireland came and changed everything. He\u2019s a great guy and knows what he\u2019s doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thang is one of two seniors on the team, and he prepared for his bigger role by practicing in the summer. Ireland said Thang\u2019s talent and heart prove why he is a leader this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can just tell he\u2019s a leader,\u201d Ireland said. \u201cHe\u2019s got the passion, discipline and commitment. He\u2019s not really vocal but leads by example. I know that he\u2019s going to give everything he has every game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teammates also see Thang\u2019s leadership by his actions both on and off the field. Sophomore midfielder Christian Ramos said he constantly looks out for his teammates.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s always very positive and pushes us to succeed in class and on the field,\u201d Ramos said. \u201cHe works very hard. I never see him slacking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thang is a finance major and hopes to move to Dallas after graduation and work for a bank. His goal in life is to do international business with Myanmar and get a dual citizenship so he can split time living in Myanmar and Dallas. Thang said he is very thankful to God for watching over him during his soccer career.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod is a big part of my life,\u201d Thang said. \u201cA lot of people get hurt but I haven\u2019t been severely injured in my career, and I view that being God\u2019s love and grace. God has played a huge role in my soccer career.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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