Julia Bounds '17 Recruiting Profile

I have been running competitively since I was eight years old when a family friend recognized my speed and suggested that I run a 5K.  I ran cross country and track through USATF and AAU through eighth grade earning multiple National Champion medals and All American status in cross country, 800M, 1500M, 3000M, 4X800M and High Jump. As a freshman in high school,  I won the D2 race at both the Stanford Invitational and the Clovis Invitational. 

I have always considered running one of my strongest passions. I grew up as a multi-sportathlete and was engaged in various sports such as softball, soccer, tennis, swimming, basketball, and volleyball. I currently still play club volleyball at a high level; my team recently returned from volleyball nationals in New Orleans at the end of June. 

This past year (my sophomore year),  I struggled with some health issues that kept me from competing at the high level I wanted to. In the fall I had to go to the ER, and over the course of the year I missed about 20 days of school.  I attend St. Francis College Prep in Mountain View California and the curriculum is demanding. I struggled with staying caught up in school, but even more so, trying to stay in shape for running.  In the fall, even though I had not been able to train much,  I did come back to help my team qualify for state. 

Unfortunately,  I relapsed during track season and was unable to compete in a lot of meets and, at the time, was discouraged due to inability to compete at the high level to which I was accustomed. This summer I attended a two week running camp in Colorado and realized that my illness was only a temporary setback as I quickly regained both my strength and confidence - never wavering from my passion to run! After not being able to compete at my best for over a year,  I am especially excited to get back to racing, and competing, in the fall. 

This upcoming school year I look forward to focusing on my studies; I always hold myself to a high standard when it comes to school and after missing so many days of school last year I am determined to raise my grades even higher than my current GPA of 3.85.  I love sports and competing, but I always prioritize academics at the top. Whenever I am not focusing on school or sports I enjoy socializing. I am an extrovert and I believe that is one of the main reasons I love sports; I constantly get to be around, and have fun, with my team. I easily make friends and have close connections with runners throughout the world; One of my best friends, whom I met at a camp, lives in Houston, and we constantly visit each other. My outgoing personality makes it easy for me to build close relationships with people. Aside from socializing, I love interacting with kids. Not only have I volunteered multiple times at a local preschool for autistic children, but I have also gone back to my elementary school to work with the kindergarteners. 

I am looking forward to continuing to compete in track & field and cross country while in college. I am looking for a university that has strong academics and that balances academics and athletics. I believe that with my strong commitment to both of these areas, I will be a strong addition to college team.