Bailey Miller '26 Recruiting Profile

Personal Statement

Most players’ biggest moment in their career was a moment of success, or a joyful memory. But mine was the opposite. A few years ago, I was trying out for an elite team which combined the best players from two clubs. The whole off season I had been doing private training and conditioning myself as much as possible. I was determined to make this team. Going into tryouts I had a lot of confidence, but unfortunately I did not get a call back for the next day. After the tryouts, I looked at my two choices: feel sorry for myself, or work harder. Even though I was devastated, I decided to work as hard as I could to improve and become a better player. 

I have been putting my foot on a ball since about three. As I grew up, I tried a few other sports, but only stuck with soccer. Throughout my many years of soccer, I have learned so many things like the importance of teamwork and perseverance. Playing soccer is my escape from everything else; when I step onto the field, everything else in my life just melts away. I am always wanting to improve and learn more about the game. While I love defending from fullback or attacking from the wing, I also have experience in the midfield and can play wherever I am needed. 

According to my coaches, my strengths are my touch on the ball and my ability to read the game. I am always trying to anticipate the next move so that I can be in a better position to defend or attack. When on the field, I love working with my teammates in creative ways to keep possession, and ultimately score. 

I am an all A student, and take all honors classes. This past year, I was inducted into NHS (National Honor Society), SNHS (Science National Honor Society), Spanish National Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. I also participated in Key Club and was class secretary my sophomore year. Achieving in academics has always been important to me, and I hope to continue my academic success into college. 

A few years later, I had a similar opportunity to try out for another elite team which also combined the best players from multiple clubs in the area. I went in with confidence, and played to the best of my abilities. A few days later, I got a call telling me that I had made the team. My decision to work harder and push myself allowed me to continue to improve as a player, and eventually attain the success that I had been working for. My goal has always been to play at the next level, and I understand that there are many paths to getting there. I want to choose the best one for both my academics and athletics. Ultimately, my love for the game continues to grow every day, and I am excited to see where soccer takes me in the future.