Personal Statement
Many people of youth marvel at the possibility of playing a sport at the collegiate or professional level. However, these aspiring people of talent are separated by whether they have the hard working, disciplined, and dedicated mindset to withstand the demands of competing in college soccer. My name is Zachary Whalen and I believe I have what it takes. My father first introduced me to the game that I love when I was around 5 years old at his Sunday pickup game. Instantly hooked, he signed me up for travel soccer when I reached the minimum age requirement. I have since been playing travel soccer for Davie Sharks United 2006 Grey for approximately 7 years. With all this experience, I have been improving year by year with many aspects of my game still left to enhance.
With college looming around the corner, my desire to play Division 1-3 has become more and more fervent. Sooner or later, many people like me end up reaching a dead end due to the competitiveness of college soccer. Despite these odds, I believe that I possess several fundamental skills that make me stand out from other college recruits. First off, my leadership is one of my most prominent and notable qualities in and outside of athletics. I have been the captain of our soccer team for the past 4 years. Moreover, I have several unsolicited testimonies attesting to my leadership ability from teachers over the years.
One attribute that many recruits may lack is teachability. Despite my experience in soccer, I am always open to criticism and try to incorporate advice into my game. As far as playstyle is concerned, I would compare my style of play to the footballer Kevin de Bruyne. I would compare myself to him because of my playmaking ability, my positional versatility, my soccer IQ, and my passing creativity. My dedication to soccer and my team is next to unmatched. I always arrive early to practices and games and rarely am absent.
Academics have always been my strong suit. Both my middle and high school GPA is 4.0/4.0. I currently intend to begin dual enrollment in 11th grade and graduate high school with my Associates degree. I aspire to earn my master’s in business administration at one of the top academic and athletic universities in the world. Soccer has always been the game that I love, and I can’t wait to take this passion to the next level.
