Furtuna Velaj (center) has used soccer to better her life. (Photo by Anthony Panzino/Eireann Photography)

Growing up in war-torn Kosovo, Furtuna Velaj found soccer as an escape from the harsh realities of every day life.

The New York Surf forward used the sport to earn a college degree and continue playing the beautiful game at a higher level afterwards.

Despite her success, Velaj realizes that soccer isn’t an end-all to everything, but an door opener.

Her story should be used as a reminder that anyone can achieve his or her goals, not just by scoring goals, but taking advantage of opportunitites.

Sometimes you just don’t nowhere where the path may lie.

Just ask Velaj.

“My family lived in a small village in Kosovo, and I used to play soccer all the time,” said said recently. “At school during recess and every Sunday after church, I would play. I was a bit of a tomboy, so I was playing pretty much any chance I got. I lived on a farm, and we didn’t have a TV. There were only animals. We were really poor, so we didn’t have much entertainment. Soccer was one of those things that was like ‘here’s a ball, play.’ You would play with animals, whether it was with rocks or a soccer ball.”

The conflict between Kosovo and Serbia forced a seven-year-old Velaj and her family out of their home, fleeing to the United States. The trek was not an easy one, first relocating to Montenegro en route to Spain and Cuba, and then from Florida to New York before landing in Connecticut where an aunt lived. Living in a two-bedroom apartment with 20 family members, Velaj adjusted to a new life in the U.S., but one constant remained.

“Soccer has played a very important role in my life,” she said. “Soccer gave me the opportunity to go to school and to get a college education. It gave me an opportunity to travel and to see so many places, which has made me a well-rounded person and has opened my eyes up to the world. If it wasn’t for soccer, I never would have been able to do that at such a young age.”

Her soccer skills increased. Velaj earned her way into Quinnipiac University in North Haven, Conn.. She shined on the field, recording 94 points on 39 goals and 16 assists during her four years there. The points and goals are fourth best in program history. Velaj also excelled in the classroom, earning a degree in Political Science.

Since graduation from Quinnipiac, she has suited up for the Albania national team. She also spent time with the Boston Breakers in between the closure of Women’s Professional Soccer and the founding of the National Women’s Soccer League. She also has traveled the world playing with Afturelding (Iceland), Toronto Lady Lynx (USL W-League), PK-35 Vantaa (Finland), Kolbotn IL (Norway), SC Sand (Germany) and now with the Surf in United Women’s Soccer.

The 27-years-old Velaj has plenty of soccer left as she will look to join a National Women’s Soccer League club after the UWS season. However, if she were to hang up her boots tomorrow, she already has proven that who she is as a person is much greater than any accomplishments that can be achieved within the game it. She stands as an example of perseverance.

“My attitude comes from the values I got from my family, and I think that is reflected in how I play soccer,” she said. “You have to work hard. Life isn’t always fair. Things are going to happen in your life that you can’t control, but you can always control your attitude. You have to control how you react and in what you do. My family always taught me to work hard and be a good person. When I play soccer, that’s what I try to do; work hard and be a good teammate. I used to have to have crazy ambitious goals because I am a very ambitious person, but the older I’ve gotten, the more humble I’ve become. If it happens, it happens. But if not, life goes on. It’s not the end of the world.”

Velaj also stressed to any young girl reading this that soccer must always be secondary when getting your education.

“My message to every young girl out there who wants to be a professional soccer player is this. School is more important than anything,” she said. “You need an education. That’s one thing my parents taught me. Education is always number one, and sports is number two. Playing soccer is a short-term career, so you can only do it temporarily. Eventually, you need a backup plan. First is education.

“Secondly, never stop growing and learning as a soccer player or as a human being. You have to keep that positive mindset to never stop learning and never stop wanting to grow. Nothing in life comes easily. The best things in life are actually really hard. Success doesn’t come easily, either. You just have to keep working and keep pounding away, and also enjoy the journey because that’s the best part.”

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.