Nina Howland '20 Recruiting Profile

Growing up in New York City has shaped me into the person I am today. There are endless parks and fields all around. It is always fun to go out and play pick up with friends, get in some activity, and even work a little bit in my skill. Soccer brings people together. It certainly has created the basis for a lot of my most important friendships. Soccer has taught me to work with others and know that others have my back and I've got theirs. My teammates are my best friends and I am so incredibly lucky to be a part of it. 

Soccer is a huge part of my life and I do not know who I would be without it. Soccer makes me feel good not only physically, but mentally. There is no better feeling than that deep breath you take after a long break away up the field, that team stretch after a rigorous game, or walking off the field knowing how hard I just worked with my team to win the game. However, I've learned that soccer is as much of a mental game just as much as it is a physical game. I have learned that keeping a growth mindset helps me to improve my skill as well as the energy I feel with my team. If I had rough day at school I know that I have practice to look forward to later that evening and that I know I will feel miles better after that. Soccer acts as an escape for me. Even if that is just a two hour escape it is incredibly impactful on my well being. There is nothing else I think about when I am on the field. Soccer forces me to be in the present moment that I am in. I cannot think about the test I have the next day or hw much homework I have left to do when I get home from a practice. I feel that this sport, unlike any other, is the most universal sport, it brings people from all walks of life together, and it is the sport that makes me feel good.