, ▁V ä lim aa ▁helped ▁Del ray ▁Beach ▁American ▁Heritage ▁School ▁to ▁Florida ' s ▁Class ▁ 2 A ▁State ▁Championship ▁by ▁scoring ▁ 3 2 ▁goals ▁and ▁distrib uting ▁ 1 8 ▁ass ists . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁V ä lim aa ▁was ▁named ▁G ator ade ▁Florida ▁Boys ▁Soccer ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁ 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁Sun - S entin el ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁and ▁an ▁ESP N ▁R ise ▁All - American . ▁ ▁V ä lim aa ▁began ▁his ▁colleg iate ▁career ▁at ▁George ▁Mason ▁University , ▁starting ▁all ▁ 1 8 ▁games ▁for ▁the ▁Patri ots ▁and ▁t ally ing ▁ 2 ▁goals ▁and ▁ 9 ▁ass ists . ▁For ▁his ▁s oph om ore , ▁junior ▁and ▁senior ▁seasons , ▁V ä lim aa ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁ 5 6 ▁games ▁for ▁the ▁Tar ▁He els ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁Atlantic ▁Coast ▁Conference ▁Academ ic ▁hon ors ▁in ▁his ▁s oph om ore ▁and ▁junior ▁years . ▁ ▁T ampa ▁Bay ▁Row d ies ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁V ä lim aa ▁had ▁signed ▁his ▁first ▁professional ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁T ampa ▁Bay ▁Row d ies ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁Soccer ▁League . ▁V ä lim aa ▁initially ▁joined ▁the ▁Row d ies ▁as ▁a ▁trial ist ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁March , ▁seeing ▁time