Whether he’s leading on the soccer field, hiking Montana trails or fostering positivity in everyday life, Jake Birecki is making space for pursuing his passions and nurturing his well-being.
While his journey has been shaped by living with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, he wants people to know that his individuality has been informed more by a commitment to personal development, positivity and authenticity than by living with a skeletal condition.
“I want to show people that I am not that different. I think a lot of people are surprised when they see me weightlifting, running or playing soccer,” Jake says. “These are normal things, but to a lot of people, they’ve never seen somebody like me doing them. That’s not the main reason why I’m into fitness, but I think that’s a positive.”
We spoke with Jake as part of our new campaign featuring stories about people living with skeletal conditions, caregivers and advocates to learn what they are “making space” for in their daily lives. This series will seek to shed light on the lived experiences and perspectives of the community to illustrate the variety of ways people are navigating life with a genetic skeletal condition.
Jake, a 21-year-old Arizona native, spends his days as a landscaping contractor and is an intern with the United Adaptive Soccer Association, an organization focused on providing soccer opportunities for players with disabilities. It promotes inclusion through adaptive camps, resources for coaches, and competitive pathways for players age 10 and older, aiming to increase participation in the American soccer community. Jake, who refers to soccer as his first passion, also plays competitively with the United States Dwarf Futbol Association.
“Soccer was the first sport I played, and I fell in love with it,” he says. “One of the reasons why I want to help grow this soccer for dwarfism and these adaptive athletes is because I want these kids to have a better chance than I did to play competitive sports.”