Ashton Seely '17 Recruiting Profile

Vince Lombardi said, “Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all-the-time thing. You don’t do things right once in awhile. You do them right all the time.”

This is a powerful sentiment that guides my life. I come from a small town, where I have had to work hard for and EARN everything I have accomplished. Nothing has ever been handed to me. From a young age, I’ve been highly competitive and motivated; while other boys were hanging out, playing video games, and chasing girls, I was out conditioning with members of the cross-country team and commuting 5 days a week to train with college wrestling coaches. Good enough during the season has never been good enough for me. I would admit that a weakness I recognize in myself is that I am sometimes too driven, and it’s hard for me to remember that not everyone cares about sports the way that I do. I have to check myself to keep balance and focus in my life.

I am a 3-time State Champion Wrestler. I earned All-American status in freestyle wrestling in 2016 in Fargo. Yet my passion for athletics reaches far beyond wrestling: it has expanded my ability to compete in other sports. I am a two-time All-State football player, in different positions: defensive linebacker and offensive line. I am confident that I will add to my list of accomplishments with my final year as a well-rounded high school athlete.

An often-underappreciated accomplishment that I am equally proud of is that I lead as a team captain in the different sports I play. If you were to ask me what my biggest strength is as an athlete and as an individual, I would respond that I am fiercely loyal. I am dedicated. I am willing to sacrifice for others on my team. If I commit to something, I will never let you down. I want to work to earn a starting position on a collegiate team and stand as a leader for my teammates and my school.

I am a compassionate person. I have a beautiful younger sister with mental disabilities who I try to build a relationship with by spending time with her, talking with her on her level, and taking her to do things to make her feel special. Because of Addie, I have developed a special place in my heart for the Underdog—the person who is overlooked or excluded. I try to include everyone and find a way for even those with disabilities (or different abilities) to be a part of something good. I care more about PEOPLE than about what people think of me. At one point, the day after I won a state title in wrestling, I tried out for the cheer and stunt team, which has opened the door for my younger sister to have a special spot on the team, when she never would have had the chance to be a part of the cheer squad otherwise.

In the end, one of my biggest collegiate goals is to earn a scholarship to play football in order to pay for my education. School is something that has never come easily or naturally for me; I have spent hours upon hours outside of school with teachers and tutors, in order to strengthen areas where I know I struggle. I understand this about myself, and I am not willing to jeopardize my grades and my opportunities for participating in athletics. I hope that my strength in athletics will help me accomplish earning a college degree.

The SuperBowl Trophy is called the Lombardi Trophy for a reason. Lombardi believed that winners are winners ALL of the time and in ALL areas of their lives. I am working hard to shape myself into an all-of-the-time winner.