Ronald Ghedine '24 Recruiting Profile

My whole life my mom told me to find something I love to do and stick with it, that's what football is for me, not just a dream but life. To say it has not been easy, is an understatement, I had to grow up fast. My parents having me at a young age, they (especially my mom), had to raise themselves while raising me, not being ready for a kid and I was definitely more than a handful but my mom did her best; both of my parents did, as neither one had their own families to rely on. My immediate family consists of me and my two younger brothers, my mom and dad; that's it, and that is all the family we have. My brothers, who look up to me, Caiden, my middle brother (who struggles with dyslexia), is not a sports player as he finds it difficult for that reason; however, my youngest brother, Mason Ghedine, wants to follow in my footsteps and eats, breathes, sleeps football 24/7 like myself. Mason and I always say that we are going to be the next generation Kelce brothers, him being Jason and me being Travis because of our positions and build, ha...I laugh but I know that it is not just a dream or a joke but it is possible and won't stop trying until time has expired for that opportunity and I know Mason won't either, because my mom has always taught me by example to NEVER EVER GIVE UP and ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. I kind of compare her to Barbara Burlsworth, as Brandon Burlsworth is my mentor archetype. My school never kept a consistent coach and so it has been hard on my high school football career to fall into the same category of what is considered the "greatest," my school has always been one of the worst...but I know that I am so much more than the labeled category of my school team statistics. My knowledge of how to obtain a football career has grown over the years, I started to realize the struggles college would put my parents through financially, as we live hand-to-mouth scraping pennies to just put food on the table since my mother became unemployed recently diagnosed with PTSD. She worked so hard to overcome the mental struggles she suffered from, as an abandoned parentified child, to work towards her dream of becoming a detective, so she could help other people by being a voice for others who were going through the same thing she went through; she obtained that dream and then lost it all when she started to struggle with depression, unbeknownst to her she would suffer vicarious trauma, as a special victim's detective for abused children. As I painfully watched this unfold, she told me, ".. do not be afraid to follow your dreams because it didn't work out for me," I decided football that no matter what I would follow my dream of doing what I love most. As a kid, you don't see the full picture honestly, but  I knew that I hated school and loved to play sports. Growing up I've always had people tell me to take care of my school work and be a student first. As a kid, you understand what… show more content... staying up late to finish up an essay, or studying late at night after a long day of a physical and mental beat down, I pushed through it all with determination and now as a senior, I will have obtained all my required credits to graduate and will be able to complete my high school career by graduating in February of 2024, still being able to walk in my graduation ceremony in June 2024, but be able to go to work full-time with my dad at a factory to help out my family. I hope this will be temporary until I am able to be recruited by a school who sees my natural talent and God given heart for the game, a coach who subjectively see's where I may fall a little short in the area of knowledge and technique, they know this can be taught...but as for heart, that is something that can not be taught but that heart is only few are born with, and that is exactly what I have an abundance of....HEART.  My mother taught me determination, my father taught my work-ethic, my brother's taught me leader-ship and football gave me discipline and motivation. When it comes to determination, work ethic and leadership qualities, I apply these qualities in all that I do both in the classroom and on the field.  Whether I am on the field or in the classroom, when quick decisions must be made and I act immediately without poor judgement because I know if I don't, consequences are waiting to follow. The discipline I have acquired has only strengthened me in every aspect of my life.  My parents' love has taught me to respect everyone, be coachable, and not to sell myself short; with this, I apply it daily in life and in the game. Everything learned through football has given me motivation academically as well, since I need to maintain my grades to play. For me, if it wasn't for the support of my family, our struggles as a family and football as an outlet to my happy place, I wouldn't have been motivated to work this hard, I have learned to catch anything life throws at me, and to handle it very well. One of my favorite stories I read about Burlsworth was in his college years, a couple of his Razorbacks team-mates were hanging out in the dorm and they all went into his room and saw Brandon was in his room studying and recopying his notes, from the day's notes, as he always did. His fellow Razorbacks said, "Burls, how do you do it? How can you be a great athlete and great at school... just a good person all around.... how do you do what you do? ...what's your secret...," I read that his fellow Razorbacks said that, Brandon never looked up from copying his notes when they asked him these things but instead he just reached his hand up, grabbed his Bible from a shelf above him, pointed it at him but didn't say a word, then he put it back on on his shelf and went on writing his notes.  His team-mates said that although Brandon Never said a word, he said everything. I share this with you because I feel this faith in my soul, it is what drives me and what my heart is made of. Athletes, especially in football, need to be hard driven, talented, skilled, coachable and should have a love for the game; which without a doubt, are what coaches are looking for, understandably. I have these qualities, many athletes do; however, I know it is the same God fearing faith and heart, like that of Burlsworth, which is a gift that only few were born with, this faith...my heart...is what will take me all the way. Please don't take this out of context, I am humble and not trying to compare myself with the Great All American, I am just trying to explain that I know what it takes to make it and that I know I have it and that my heart is what sets me apart from the rest. My hope is for a coach, a team, a school...someone, to take a chance and give me the opportunity of a lifetime. I want to close my personal statement with an inspirational quote,"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt. So, I leave you with this thought to consider, with all I have said to sum up who I am, it is evident I am halfway there; however, the question remains, who will lead me the rest of the way.