Iliana Floode '21 Recruiting Profile

My passion has always been sports. As a middle child, I felt I was always in competition, and I thrive in competition. I love being challenged. As such, I tend to set high standards for myself. After high school, I want to pursue a degree in Sports Management. Although, I wish to have a long athletic career, playing basketball, throughout college and afterwards, I want to eventually move on to a career in Sports Management. Sports Management combines business with athletics, and when I’m no longer on the court playing, I want to be able to help to facilitate an environment where people like me can excel. At best, I want to have a career in managing the NBA, but on a more practical level, helping to run a community’s youth basketball association would also be fulfilling.

               My high standards also make me a better player. I strive to always be the best on the court. I work to hone my skills and form a strong union with my team. The first time I tried out for a basketball team, in middle school, I didn’t make the team. In contrast to the other girls, I didn’t have prior experience playing basketball outside of games in my drive way with my uncle, but not being good enough is just another challenge that can be conquered, so I came home every single week day after school and I practiced shooting, running, and dribbling by myself, and on the weekends I went up the street to play games with the boys. I believe it is important to always do my best and then top that, and it’s important to have a team that can help me excel.

               I hope I’m not too different from the other recruits. I hope that I will be challenged, as well as able to work with an advanced group of athletes who are willing to put in as much work as I am to be as great as they can be on and off the court as a singular player and as collective teams, but I know that I am that way. I know that I have balanced being a star student with being an advanced athlete. I know that I have dealt with difficulties without faltering as an athlete or student. I go to school, I practice, I do chores, I study, and I still make time to enjoy myself. I know that I would make a great addition to anything I join and I hope that that is apparent in everything that is seen of me.