Jack Stein '24 Recruiting Profile

Dear Coaches,

Nice to meet you! I'm Jack, and I started running cross country and track my freshman year because my soccer team hadn't practiced for months in the midst of the pandemic, and I felt I needed a way to stay active. Those practices with the team became a refuge during isolation, and even after restrictions were lifted and we returned to normalcy, those friendships I created remain my strongest. I love the community that running brings, and I believe I would be a great addition to yours. I always have my teammates' backs and they have mine, and we always try to push each other to new heights.

During freshman and sophomore year, I struggled with lots of injuries as I was very new to the sport and did not get to run for some periods, sometimes weeks on end. There is of course a massive learning curve in this sport. However, not being able to run made me realize simply how much I wanted to run. This has become one of my biggest passions and I have an extremely strong desire to run in college, and I have been taking lots of extra steps recently to ensure that I can. I cleaned up my diet significantly, took my stretching seriously, got a better strength routine, and took my easy days EASY! Between running and going to the gym multiple times a week, along with meal prep, warming up, cooling down, stretching, and foam rolling (etc. etc. etc.), I'm spending hours and hours a day working towards this goal and chasing this dream because I've never wanted anything this badly before, and I want to do everything in my power to achieve it. My coach named me the most dedicated runner on a very large team for a reason, and that is because when I'm doing something I sincerely care about (e.g. Running), I will give my everything to do the best that I can. It's the same reason why I received the most votes to be a captain this year on the team. There may be runners faster or more naturally talented than I am, but you would be hard-pressed to find a harder worker. I am out early in the morning and late at night. First to show up, last to leave. 

I am also very coachable, and I have lots of potential, and I think given the opportunity and good coaching, that can be unlocked and I can make a true impact on the program. I would have a lot of respect for you as my coach, and if you give me a plan to execute, I will do it to the best of my ability every time. Plus, I see the biggest results (by a long shot) over the summer where I am able to get more sleep, be less stressed, and have a lot more freedom with my diet and make better food. I was also able to run and work out in the mornings, sometimes doing fasted workouts, where I saw big jumps in performance. For me, my current schedule is not even close to conducive for optimal athletic performance, but I would get something fairly similar to the summer schedule if I were able to run collegiately. I've watched many people falter when they start competing at the D1 level and experiencing the rigors of being a college athlete, but I know I will be just the opposite, I just need to be given the opportunity. I've dedicated the better part of my high school career to this sport, and that's not going to stop when I graduate.

I am an honor student, a role model, and someone with very high aspirations in life. I am friendly and humorous, albeit a little shy at times, and I am relentless. This sport has knocked me down more than a few times but I get up with more vigor every time. I have extreme levels of discipline, and not just for someone my age. The sacrifices I have made and the things I have given up chasing this dream all had a common purpose, and it's the same reason why I am reaching out to you. I have no doubt that I would be an amazing addition to your running community, and I could go very far (and fast!) given the opportunity. I look forward to talking with you!