Gabriel Kitchen '25 Recruiting Profile

I’m looking forward to exploring my college experience which includes furthering my soccer career.

Soccer has been a big part of my athletic life now since I was 7 years old. I quickly started to get into a Club level team with friends when I was 8, playing up at a U9 level with Cleveland United. The next fall season we became our own U9 team. I then had the opportunity to grow with a very supportive team and wonderful Coaches at Team Challenger FC, led by my Avon High School Coach Chris Dore. We had the same competitive mindset that placed us 1st in the State two times, and 2 times in 2nd place. We were 1st in the Region for Futsal in the off-season, which we then moved on to the National Futsal tournament in Overland Park, KS - 3 times. We also took 2nd Place in a couple of those years at the Futsal Regional event held every year in Akron, OH.

In the fall of 2021, as a Freshman in high school, I was fortunate enough to make both the JV and Varsity team. Our JV team went undefeated and our Varsity team went to the Final Four that year. My Sophomore year in 2022, I was awarded Division 1 - 2nd Team from the Lorain County Soccer Coaches Association and Honorable Mention from the All-Southwestern Conference Boys Soccer Honors. This year, my Junior year in 2023, I was awarded Division 1 - 1st Team from the Lorain County Soccer Coaches Association, 1st Team from the All-Southwestern Conference Boys Soccer Honors, and 2nd Team All-Cleveland Area by the Greater Cleveland Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association.

After my Freshman year high school season, I had the opportunity to play with my current club Team, Spire FC, led by Coach Mike McLaughlin. I had been fortunate to meet Coach McLaughlin at an overnight summer camp held at St. Ignatius High School a few years before, and it was an exciting experience. I knew a lot of my current teammates, some who we had played together and most who were opponents in the field. I knew I would be amongst the best of the best in Cleveland and the state of Ohio with the decision to join this National PRO team. This past Summer of 2023, we won the Ohio State Cup for our U16 division. We qualified and played in both Regionals in St. Louis, MO and Nationals in Orlando, FL. My Spire FC team is currently in the National P.R.O. League this year that began in December 2023.

In each stage of my soccer experiences, I only hope to keep pushing and keep challenging myself to be the best soccer player and teammate I can be, learning and practicing tactical skills along the way.