Taitum Lystad '14 Recruiting Profile

     For as long as I can remember, my life has been consumed by soccer. I have played since I could walk and still love it to this day. My soccer career started in my hometown, Telluride, CO In Telluride, I played for a travel club team, which my father was an assistant coach. so he really got to know me and see me progress throughout my career. I have always played an age level up due to my ball handling and speed. Our team placed second two years in a row in the state tournament held in Denver. 

     Even when the ground was covered with several feet of snow, we didn’t stop one bit. My father and the team coach adapted the middle school gymnasium for indoor soccer. This was a great way to learn short, quick passes and really get a lot of touches in before the season started back up.

     My family moved to Florida at the beginning of my 9th grade year. I earned a starting position in the very first game of the season, among other players who at that time, looked like giants to me. I held my own that season and we ended up with a great record.  

     My tenth grade year was considerably more challenging. We lost 14 seniors to graduation or basketball, and only 1 or 2 of the current seniors were playing so we had quite a young team. This gave me the opportunity to step up my leadership even though I was only a tenth grader.

     Last year, we had a very strong team. (for a small, preparatory school).  I was chosen to be team captain because of my leadership abilities and strength. I helped my team whenever I could and was always there for them. I had several new players playing defense behind me, which needed quite a bit of help in field positioning and strategy.  At first, it was very frustrating, but I found that if I worked with these guys during our practices, and showed them things during the game, and during stoppages, it helped immensely and allowed me to focus more on my tasks.  We had an amazing season and just made me thirsty for my next and final season.

     I feel that my soccer strengths are speed, aggressive defensive play, and the ability to see the whole field in a very unique way.  I am a very unselfish player, and get as much pride from my distribution skills as  I do from scoring goals.  I began a major growth spurt late in my tenth grade year, and continue to grow.  By training hard, both on and off the field, my speed and strength can be very useful in many college soccer programs.  I wish to major in engineering and/or business, and continue to push myself in my academic endeavors.

The school I attend, The Out of Door Academy, is a very rigorous, cum laude, private preparatory school.  I have pushed my academic schedule very hard in my 3 years there, always taking the next higher grade level math and science courses.  I stumbled a little bit in my 11th grade Honors Physics, but that will not stop me from pushing myself further in 12th grade, taking AP Statistics and AP Physics.  I know I can excel in these classes, and will work hard in class, while also participating in 3 varsity sports again.

     With all this soccer background I would just really like to see myself playing at the next level and carrying it with me through my life. Soccer has taught me many things, most of which I can’t learn in a classroom. It has showed me teamwork, leadership, and above all, that communication is key. I wish to carry these lessons on and learn many more in the process. I want to be the best I can possibly be and go as far as I possibly can.