- 2016 Highlights
Personal Statement
My name is Jacob Myers Norys, UCSC Class of 2019, and I grew up in Riverside, California before attending UCSC where I currently play for the NCAA Men’s Soccer team and study Marine Biology. I am 6 feet 3 inches and 175 pounds and soccer is and will forever be my greatest passion.
Just to tell you a little bit about my High School soccer career. I attended Riverside Martin Luther King High School where I played as an outside mid/forward and as a Freshman and Sophomore I was put on Frosh-Soph as a captain both years taking home Most Improved as a Freshman and Coach’s Award as a Sophomore. Going into my junior year all I was on the cutoff for Varsity and JV. Due to an unfortunate injury to one of my teammates, I was placed on Varsity. Although I was supposed to barely rack up any time, I fought and competed everyday and was able to earn some starting caps and played in every game. At the end of the season I racked up a total of 10 goals and 7 assists, the second most on the team in goals and first in assists, and at our banquet I received Most Improved and 2nd Team All-League. That year we went on to the quarter-finals where we lost to Royal HS. As a senior, I came into Varsity as a leader and a captain of our team. I was able to rack up 24 goals and 23 assists in 27 games and have helped my team clinch second place in League although we were eliminated from CIF in penalties the first round. At our senior banquet I was awarded Team MVP, First-Team All-League, League Offensive MVP, CIF-All-Third team, and Athlete of the year for my school.
In high school I also ran on my school’s varsity track team for four years running the 800 meters, 1:59.6, the 1600, 4:36.8, and the 400 meters, 49.8.
Last year was my first college season where I averaged 27.9 mpg and was able to lead my team in scoring with 7 goals and also accumulated 1 assist in 17 games. This season I average around 45 mpg with 9 starts leading my team once again in scoring with 5 goals and one assist. As a freshman I was awarded Second-Team All-Independents and this year was awarded the same achievement of Second Team All-Independents.My greatest attribute as a soccer player is my drive. I’m a fighter and I want to win. Everytime I step on to the pitch I give 110%. As forward I think that I am a very versatile player. Not only am I able to hold the ball off with my strength and dish it off to the midfielders, I am also a very pacey forward and I am able to turn and get in behind the defense. I am an effective player. Whether I start or come off the bench, as soon as my cleats hit the turn it’s balls to the wall. I challenge myself every time I step on to the field to win every 1v1 battle and to perform the best that I can in order to help the team.