John Clofine '22 Recruiting Profile

Competing at the collegiate level has been a dream for me all my life. I have been playing soccer competitively since I was five years old and fell in love with the sport the very second I touched a ball for the first time.

I am fortunate enough to go to a boarding preparatory school, which I have had many amazing experiences at. I have developed great friendships and have fortunately been given the tools to elevate my game. My school did not make the NEPSAC playoffs for 10 years straight, but my teammates and I changed that in the Fall of 2019, going 8-6-2 in the regular season. We played against some of the top teams in the region and country. There is still work to be done as I will be captaining Westminster for the Fall 2021 season.

I was born and grew up in New York City and played with Manhattan Soccer Club up until I went to prep school. During my time at MSC, I won two State Championships. I started playing Premier, transitioned to the NPL division, and finished at the ECNL level. I played with Connecticut FC during my Freshman and Sophomore seasons at Westminster. During my Junior year, a few of my teammates and I were invited to join Black Rock FC's Prep School Academy team. Although only recognized as an NPL team, the quality of players at the club is phenomenal. We competed well with high-end ECNL teams and everyone at the club has an extreme interest in playing college soccer. Because of COVID-19, Black Rock FC's current status is unknown, so I have switched back to playing with Connecticut FC for my second junior year as I decided to reclassify last Spring. For my senior year and 2021-2022 season, I will be playing with Connecticut FC's 03 ECNL team.

I used to be a striker in my youth up until I entered middle school and then took up playing in the midfield for a few years. Upon entering high school, I was pretty much lost in what position I should play and where I fit in best. I started at CDM throughout the entirety of my Freshman season and grew a few inches that summer. My Sophomore year was hard. I was not in the starting lineup anymore and I knew it was because I was starting to fill into my body and I was having trouble moving around on the field. My fitness level was low and I ended up playing only about 30-45 most games which really hurt my confidence. I knew something had to change and that I had to break out my Junior year if I had any hopes of continuing soccer in college, so I hit the gym hard the summer after my Sophomore year. I ended up growing another inch and even though I was working out, I still did not see any gains. My Junior year went well nonetheless, and I found the position that I was most comfortable in. Playing Center Back and Outside Back helped me be more calm and confident on the ball. I used to be unselfish with the ball to the point where I wasn't really making an impact on the field and was not developing as a player. Fast forward to this past season as a reclassified Junior. Not having a High School season this year was devastating and I worried about my future as a player. I continued to lead the team along with the two captains, and we treated our unfortunate situation as a real season by having team lifts in the gym and doing way more running than usual. As of now, I am living at home with my fellow Westminster teammate, a 2023 graduate from Benin. Having a good friend that's sort of a brother to me now is great and has helped me stay motivated to train during these unprecedented times, knowing that my hard work will pay off.

I have what it takes to be a great asset to any program, and I am flexible whether it means joining a new team or playing a new position. With my winning mentality and positive attitude, I will try my best to take my team to the top. I aspire to continue my academic and athletic careers in college. It is exciting to see where soccer could potentially take me in the future.