10%

Behind the Stripes

Sohan Patel

By Atlanta United FC

November 14^th, 2019

27 percent.

Only about one out of four people make it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro on the five-day hike. One of those success stories is Kennesaw’s 13-year old Sohan Patel.

Patel and his mother decided to hike up the mountain together earlier this year. His mother found videos on the internet, couldn’t stop watching them, and shared the videos with Sohan.

“I thought it would be cool and fun to do,” Sohan says. “She asked if I would try it with her.”

Sohan’s mother prepared for months, but Sohan says he only did a few test hikes in the lead-up. It was the beautiful game that kept him in shape.

“I train a lot with soccer,” Sohan explained. “In the morning and night, I do a lot of extra sessions, but I didn’t train for the hike. I climbed up Kennesaw Mountain maybe a few times, that’s it.”

Mount Kilimanjaro is unique because of the variation in climate –– preparing for drastic changes of temperatures is key. That made it particularly hard for Sohan’s mother, whose luggage was lost on their flight to Kenya.

“All they had were her boots. All the hiking gear they brought was gone,” Sohan’s dad, Chirag Patel explained. “You can rent and buy things there, but since it’s a peak season, the amount of items is scarce, so she didn’t have proper boots, socks, jacket or sleeping bag.”

They found some gear for Sohan’s mom before the hike, but each day was hard and required mental strength to keep going –– a lot harder than it seemed in those YouTube videos.

“A lot of the videos we watched said it was super easy like it was a stroll in the park, but not for me,” Sohan laughs. “After the day of the climb, we had to set up our tents, sleeping bags, and she did everything for me. If she wasn’t with me, I don’t think I would’ve made it to the top without her.”

But Sohan joined the 27 percent of people who make it to the top, and he points to soccer as the reason he was able to finish. He eats, sleeps and breathes soccer. When he’s not at school, he’s on the pitch trying to get better. Sohan trains at Atlanta United’s Regional Development School during the week, where his work ethic and drive show in his sessions.

“I’m really impressed with his skills and his level of learning, and he always listening trying to improve,” Sohan’s Regional Development School Coach Raphael Fernades says. “He is always trying to get better. He is someone that always persists and wants to do his best.”

That persistence allowed Sohan to make it to the top, despite the urge to turn back. He says reaching the summit reminded him of what it’s like to score a goal on the pitch.

“I got there it was like an adrenaline rush,” Sohan says. “I felt different.”

At the summit, 40 mile-per-hour winds dropped the 8-degree temperature into the negatives in windchill –– freezing his electronics. Luckily, a woman at the top lent him the only functioning camera remaining, and captured him with the one thing that he carried with him the whole time: his Atlanta United scarf.

“I kept it on my neck the whole time,” Sohan says, gleaming.

Though he prefers his training on the pitch, he still wants to climb another seven summits in the world.

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