Gracie Pratt '23 Recruiting Profile

Ever since I was 5 years old I have played the sport of Soccer. My parents signed me up to explore different extracurricular, in just a few years my passion for it soared, so I signed up for a competitive team. While playing on this team, Soccer changed from just an extracurricular to a way of life. I played up a year on this team, that meant I was smaller than all of them, but that didn't matter to me. It forced me to work harder, to play at their level and prove to them and myself I could compete at their level no matter my size. The next season, I returned to my age group, and was awarded with the captains band. This taught me leadership skills, such as becoming a role model, leading by example, and motivating others to do their best. It also helped me learn how to resolve conflict and work under pressure.

I had made the decision to tryout for a much higher level of play, Club Soccer. I knew this meant, working harder, more commitment, and a higher level of competition, but that is what I wanted. So I worked my hardest, pushing myself, and it all paid off. I was then given the opportunity to tryout for our Olympic Development Program. I grew the most as an athlete when I did not make the team,  that experience helped me grow as a person and it provided me with a map that helped me re-focus on what I needed to do to obtain a higher level of play.I have continued working hard on my own, with my personal trainer, and my team, and here I am today playing on an A Team, an age group above me and rostered on a 05’ NPL team.

Though I always strive to do my best in soccer, I do the same in an educational atmosphere as well. I have always gotten good grades through hard work, studying, completing all my work. I have always been told that if my grades drop, soccer would be one of the first things to go. This motivates me to strive to keep my grades high so I can continue to make Honor Roll throughout high school, and proceed to a good college.

Looking back on my journey, I realize that playing soccer has taught me more about myself than anything else I have done. It has made me grow as a person, and player, teaching me about  Respect, Discipline and Confidence and that hard work will always pay off. Striving to be my best has gotten me where I am now, not only in soccer, but education and my personal relationships,  and I will continue to use what I have learned in my next challenges high school and college.