Ashley Kingsland '16 Recruiting Profile

I was first introduced to the game of lacrosse my sophmore year of high school. I instantly loved the sport and my only regret is that I did not get to start playing sooner. I am however, working very hard in order to make my dream of playing lacrosse in college a reality. Luckily, my previous atheletic background made it easy for me to pick up the game of lacrosse, and my speed and endurance in particular helps to give me an advantage even in playing against more expierienced players. For three years I played basketball, and I learned a lot of lessons during those seasons that have helped me once I started lacrosse. I had to work hard to earn my position on the team, and learned that playing time in games has to be earned, it's not just given. Although basketball and lacrosse are different sports, I noticed that there are actually many similarities between the two in regards to reading plays, defensive positioning and strategy. All of this helped me alot in my transition into lacrosse. I also ran track for three years before lacrosse. My coaches had a major impact on me. Most of all I was taught that you when you're ready to give up, you have to push yourself the most. My first day in eighth grade, I was unable to complete the 2 mile agenda that the coaches had given us. After that day I was determined to never give up again. By my freshman year I was a varsity distance runner and was privilaged to be able to represent our school at districts for the 1600 meter run. My expierence in track inspired me to always push myself to my limits, and even today I still find myself sprinting at the end of a long run because of how important it is to me to finish strong. I managed to work hard on and off the field, and have also always understood the importance of keeping good grades in school so that I could have as many oppurtunities in the next phase of my life, which will be attending college. In addition to playing lacrosse, I am interested in pursuing a degree in psychology, counsling or neorological sciences. I am looking forward to proving myself worthy of playing lacrosse at the next level and seeing just how far I can go in the future.