Krystal Negron-Claudio '24 Recruiting Profile

My mother always encouraged me to play a sport. She registered me for dance, gymnastics, swimming, and other sports to allow me to choose the one that I wanted, but as a toddler, she said I was always running after a ball. It wasn’t until I was 4 years that I was officially registered to play soccer and it changed my life.  Soccer has taught me so many things; teamwork, responsibility, leadership, strategic thinking, field awareness, that there is always room for improvement, and that making mistakes is okay and it’s a part of what makes you a skillful player.

Because of my love for the game and having played Club for many years, I knew I would be interested in trying out to play for my High School soccer team. It wasn’t easy, especially because my freshman year of High School was virtual because of the COVID Pandemic.  Having all sports closed due to the pandemic was a tough time for me. I felt cut off from my sport. Having a modified high school season in a completely virtual school year forced me to quickly adapt to the new reality of our world.  However, for me high school soccer was not at all what I thought it was going to be like. After getting into club soccer, I expected an experience like the one I’d had all my life. That wasn’t the case. High school soccer forces you to venture out of your comfort zone.

Being on JV the 3 years I’ve been high school was tough, being captain for 2 years in a row was even tougher.  In a way, I’m glad that’s how it happened because it forced me to grow not only as a player and a leader but as a person. Even though I’ll never get my freshman year back or the months we all lost to the pandemic, I’m thankful for the things I learned. I’m also thankful for the moments we had as a team, things some would consider small (winning our first game of the season with teammates some of us had never played with before and winning the regional championship; getting to capture that moment in a picture I’ll carry forever with my friends). These moments and the lessons of joy soccer brings into my life are why I want to continue my journey in college.

I believe all the skills I have learned through soccer have helped me in my academics as a whole and will be an asset when I take my next step into the university or college I enroll in.  It is my goal to begin with a bachelor's degree that will help me treat patients struggling with mental health and will prepare me to continue into a post graduate program. I’m looking for a program that not only helps me to continue growing as a soccer player, but also as a student athlete and a leader. Having a successful education in college is just as important to me as continuing my journey as a soccer player at the school I end up going to. The skills I have learned and the demanding work I put in on and off the field impact the way I lead and play my sport with heart. These are just a few reasons I know I would be a good contribution to your team.