Every athlete has big dreams when it comes to playing the sport they love. For some, it could be being the star player and team captain. For others, it could be winning a collegiate national championship, or maybe even NCAA Player of the Year. Or in their wildest dreams, they could be a professional athlete.
For Morten Bjørshol, all of these dreams became a reality.
During his time at Cal State LA, Bjørshol was a key player for the Golden Eagles. Earning All-Conference honors every year and All-American honors for the last three seasons, he was the only player in the entire conference to achieve recognition throughout his entire career. As a team captain for the Division II National Champion Golden Eagles, Bjørshol tied for the most goals on the roster with six, including a perfect penalty kick percentage netting two goals.
Bjørshol believes in hard work. He embraces every opportunity to show his work ethic and is a strong believer that those efforts got him to the position he is in. He thrives on leading by example, and hopes his work ethic can inspire others to be their best.
“Take advantage of every opportunity you get to do your best because you don’t know where it might lead you,” he said.
On March 5, Bjørshol signed a contract to play for the Las Vegas Lights FC, an affiliate organization for LAFC, a Major League Soccer team with a practice facility that is directly across the street from the Cal State LA campus. So far, Bjørshol has enjoyed the experience of living his dream as a professional athlete.
“I’ve been playing preseason games and training with the Lights at LAFC’s training facility,” he said. “It’s been great for me. It’s a place that I am very familiar with.”
Though the scenery may be familiar, Bjørshol is very determined to leave his mark in professional sports, the same way he did in college.
“I am very self-motivated and goal-driven. I have great aspirations of thriving in a new league and proving myself on a professional stage against elite competition,” he said. His goal for the 2022 season with the Lights is to play the best he can and remain focused in hopes of reaching his ultimate goal of playing in the MLS for LAFC.
Bjørshol and Las Vegas Lights FC open their 2022 USL season on March 13 against New Mexico United in Alberquerque.
