Angelina Robinson '24 Recruiting Profile

 "Are you a dancer? Or are you a soccer player?" From ages 3 to 8, I was both. And I loved both. When I was 8, that changed. That’s the year I was invited to play for a premier soccer club. I had to make a choice, and it would be my decision. I knew I could no longer be a dancer. Without hesitation, I told my mom I knew what I wanted to be. I was a soccer player. 

I joined a team where all the other girls knew each other. I was from a small elementary school that nobody heard of. They didn’t know me. My teammates were all friends with each other, and they were placed on the A team. Everyone else was placed on the B team. That included me.

I was not happy being on the B team. I didn't need to learn how to kick a soccer ball. I’d been practicing that for 5 years already. I wanted to be on the A team more than anything. I practiced every day in my tiny backyard – a yard that is mostly dirt, with occasional spots of dried-out grass. I worked hard. I was determined to make the A team, and I did it! The following year, I was moved up. We made it to the finals that year, and I scored the lone goal for the win! I got to hold our trophy in all the pictures, and my hard work paid off. I went on to play for various competitive club teams, and I am now a starter for my high school varsity soccer team. 

Even though winning feels good, that’s not why I play. When I play soccer, I have fun and play with confidence. I’m at my strongest and happiest when I’m on the field. It’s my one true home. When I lose the ball, I immediately give 110% of my energy to win it back. When I see the ball coming, I run into it at full speed. Why? Because I’m a soccer player. And college soccer is my next step.