Dawson Harris '17 Recruiting Profile

         My name is Dawson Harris. I am currently a senior at Tarboro High School, and I will graduate in June 2017. I am very interested in playing football in college, but more importantly I want a solid educational experience to further enhance my future goals and needs. I know the importance of education and what doors it can open because my mom, a teacher, instilled this in my sisters and myself at a very young age. I am 5’11” and weigh 175lbs. Over the years I have attended several camps; Khol kicking, Dan Orner kicking and punting, Kornblue Fab 50, ECU and Coastal Carolina. My personal best field goal is 43 yards, my longest punt is 59 yards, and my longest kick off is 60 yards. With just seven games played and 18 punts in the season, I have a total of 899 yards, with an average of 49.9 yards per punt. I have 2016 tatl kick off yards gained from 37 kick offs, 16 of which were touch backs.

          I currently have a 3.58 GPA, with hopes of being inducted into the National Honor Society this year. I work hard while I am in school and I make decent grades; my weakness is with standardized tests. I am not a strong standardized test taker, but what I lack there I make up for in the classroom. Living with type 1 diabetes since the age of three, my body does not react well to a sedentary time frame, especially one that is long testing session. I begin to feel anxious, and not just the anxious that regular tests bring on, I mean really anxious. My blood sugars will elevate quickly causing me to lose focus often during the test and become extremely irritable with whatever I am working on. I manage myself pretty well on a daily basis, but it is difficult during a standardized test that lasts for hours. Which is another reason that while I am in school I strive to continue to focus on my grades and do the best daily with everything within the classroom.

          Outside of my usual sports, football, baseball, soccer and swimming, I enjoy hunting, fishing, snowboarding, and wake boarding; actually, anything dealing with being outside. I mainly hunt for dove, duck and deer. It is nothing for me to go hunting before school, kill a duck, clean the duck, marinate and wrap the duck, go to school, come home at lunch to cook and eat the duck before I have to be at my Edgecombe Community College classes. As far a fishing goes, I just like to fish and relax whenever I can. Hunting deer has to be my favorite. I do not get to go often, but when I do, I make the most of it.

          My family and friends are very important to me and I try to include them in all facets of my life. I have two older sisters that are very supportive of me, as I am of them. My oldest sister, Chandler, is a senior at ECU majoring in business management. Cassidy has completed cosmetology school, passed her state boards, and has opened her own hair salon. I am very proud of both of them. My parents have been there through thick and thin. They inspire me to go above and beyond, and always lend me words of encouragement. My grandparents have to be my biggest fans though. As if going to all of my games wasn’t enough, they even show up at my practices. When I am not spending time with my family, I’m with my friends.

          I try to lead by example where my actions encourage others to respond in a positive manner. I try to lead with high morals and integrity where others can look up to and want to follow. Being actively engaged whether it is with conversation, within the classroom or on the football field is highly effective when others are looking toward you for direction. I am flexible with change which helps me develop a stronger work ethic. And last, which it is a continuous work in progress for me, is keeping a good, positive attitude.