Megan McClellan '19 Recruiting Profile

I have been playing soccer for 11 years. I started playing AYSO and  joined my first club team at age 8. Soccer has always been something I can turn to if I am ever going through something difficult in my life. In other words, it has been the one thing that has always been there for me and allowed me to relieve the stress caused by other events by channeling all my energy into working hard and getting better on the field. Soccer, however, is not my entire life. I am very serious about academics and I attend a special program during the school day which focuses on math, science, and technology. While I do have to effectively manage my time and energy to be able to succeed in both school and soccer, it does not negatively affect my commitment to either. Since joining my first travel team I have continued to play travel soccer, switching clubs at the end of my freshman year of high school to take advantage of an opportunity to improve my game. I worked very hard on the JV team my freshman year and by the end of the season I had been pulled up for district playoffs, making multiple appearances on the field throughout the game and earning my spot on the Varsity squad my sophomore season. On and off the field my coaches and teammates often times will call me a leader during games and practices, and I feel it is one of my strengths to motivate and help my teammates to do their best to help us win games. I also have experience at almost every position on the field. Before I settled into my spot in the center midfield, I played defense and started my travel experience as a goalkeeper. I have been told I have a good “soccer brain” in that tactically, I understand the game well, and can recognize problems versus things that are working well, and adjust my game or advise my teammates to make changes that will overcome the problem and improve our performance. Soccer is like family to me. I have met many players, their siblings and parents, who have become my “soccer family” over the years and have created bonds with them that I will have for the rest of my life. Having the opportunity to meet some of my best friends, travel the US for tournaments, and experience all different levels of soccer makes the desire to continue making these memories and doing what I love at the college level a priority.