Chris Collins '20 Recruiting Profile

As the only  African American player  on many of my soccer teams, I sometimes felt like all eyes were on me or that I did not belong, but these feelings  never stopped me from doing my best. I only became more determined to show my worth and let other players know that I can play just as well as they can.  Soccer brings out the side of me that nobody really sees. For instance even when I am not at practice I continue to study the sport by watching videos, practicing by myself and researching different teams, statistics and players.  Soccer is always on my mind. The intelligence it takes to play makes my dedication grow so that I can be at the top level. The decisions I make on the field are vital to what happens next and how the next chain of events will go. I am goal oriented from the moment of executing a play to a championship win. Everything becomes preparation so that I can reach the goal.  Coming short at the New York State Class AA section 1 final was probably the greatest learning experience of my high school career. The experience was a goal in itself, knowing my high school team had a good shot at winning states. However, I feel like this near win has motivated me to put in more time, work harder and strive for greatness in my senior year. The trip to States helped me grow mentally and this experience has shown me where I need to be physically.

I sacrifice a lot of family time and finances to commit to my  training and classes. I am happy to do it. I am thankful for the teamwork, bond, and commitment to my high school team. As a three year varsity player and honor roll student, who loves science because I learn something new about our planet everyday, I am  a role model to my peers and teammates, who are like my brothers. I don’t speak about my success or achievements on and off the field however, I show it by studying extremely hard, getting the best grades possible and always trying to do the right thing. In the future I hope to have a positive role like this  on your team and in your program. I know I have the skills to compete competitively on a college team as well as the determination, character, and grades to make me an ideal student athlete to get me to the next level.