Caleb Whitaker '17 Recruiting Profile

I am a very versatile player with great field vision, passing ability, exceptional foot skills, and has a knack for finishing. This year I am the leading scorer on my team with 21 goals in 16 games. I have finished 2nd the previous two years in goals scored on both my HS and Club teams, while also leading both teams in assists. I am left footed, but I also have a very strong right foot.

I want to work with people in some fashion. I have watched my mom as a social worker and I want to somehow incorporate that in with my love of soccer. So, while I might not have the highest of grade point average, I have passion in areas that grades cannot show. I see myself playing professional soccer and then going on to discover/incorporate some type of program that uses soccer to bring people out of poverty.

What my premier coach says:

Vlad Muresan, Head Coach, Liberty FC

Athletic ability: 8/10
Leadership: 9/10
Team player: 9/10
Easy to work with: 9/10
Ability: "Caleb is a very unique soccer player, and I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to coach him over the past two years. He has a fantastic left foot, he has a vast range of passing, can play different positions and has a tremendous will to win. I believe his best position is a box-to-box midfielder, a true #8. Caleb can see a pass anywhere on the field, and he has the technical ability to execute it accurately. He can drive at defenses through his dribbling ability, moving the whole team forward and penetrating the opposing back line in a way that reminds me of Jack Wilshere. He has added an aerial presence to his game over the past 6 months, becoming a massive focal point for me on defensive set pieces as well as scoring with his head at the opposite end. His set piece deliveries are also very good, with a sweet inside of the left foot technique similar to Alvaro Recoba. He can play as an attacking left back, he can play as a true playmaker #10 in between the lines, as well as a right winger coming inside onto his favored left foot. Therefore, his versatility is unquestioned in my eyes. Overall, he is a supremely technically gifted player, with a very high futbol IQ that can further develop into a successful college and professional level player. "
Personality: "The thing that struck me profoundly when I first started working with Caleb was his massive will to win. He wants to win every match, and is willing to do what it takes and suffer in order to win. This type of attitude has permeated throughout the rest of my team, and his leadership by example has made other players follow his lead. I have never had a problem with Caleb on the training ground, because I see his love for the game every time I look into his eyes. Caleb is determined to succeed, and has that hunger in his everyday life that you rarely see from other players. He is a humble young boy that I can trust completely on and off the field. With the right care and guidance, he will continue to improve as a soccer player and as a young man. His potential is colossal."