Preston Jones '19 Recruiting Profile

I first became interested in cross country and track back in 7th grade. I was decent at running in 7th and 8th grade, but my Freshman year in high school is where I really found a love for running and racing. This is when I realized that I want to compete at the college level. Running has taught me lots, one you can't slack off, if you want to see results you have to put in the work. Two you have to be strong both physically and mentally, you may have bad races but you have to be strong enough mentally to figure out what went wrong and what you can change next race. Finally which I feel is most important is teamwork, in order to be successful in this sport you have to be willing to work with your teammates they are the people that push you to be better and they are also the people you rely on, they also rely on you. If I didn't have my teammates with me every day pushing me to go harder and run the extra mile I'm not sure I'd be where I am today. Sure we've had our up's and downs but at the end of the day, these are the people that make running extra special for me. 

I would be a good fit for your school because I've dedicated my self to this sport and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get better and improve. I also have experience in big races. I have been blessed to run in 3 State Championships for XC so far (hopefully next year will be the 4th). I know what its like to race on the big stage and how to handle the pressure. I've run at States as the 7th runner on my team and as the 1st runner, I feel like this gives me an advantage over other athletes because I didn't start out as the best I've had to work my way to the top. Outside of running, I like to fish and golf, I am also involved in the boy scouts. Doing these activities outside of running have taught me patience, leadership, and hard work. I would like to find a college that will provide me with a good athletic opportunity along with a good academic opportunity.