Josephine Hayes '19 Recruiting Profile

I was introduced to soccer at a young age. My father played and still plays the “beautiful game.” I started playing organized soccer at 6 years old. I fell in love with soccer right away. I stopped doing cheer-leading and focused on playing soccer year-round making the all-star team every year of my recreational career. I thank my dad for giving me a passion for the game and mindset to constantly develop my knowledge and skills. We are a soccer family, in addition to my father, both my brother and sister played travel soccer. My older sister went on to run track for Boston University and is a VA state HS track champion in the 200, 300 and 400 meter sprints. Speed is an asset that we all inherited and has benefited me well playing soccer. My greatest inspirational player is my cousin Jacori Hayes. Going to his college games and watching my family play in MLS let me know that I have the blood line and the skills to be a successful and hopefully professional soccer player someday.

I have been playing competitive travel soccer since I was 11 years old and I am currently a captain on my team. Being nominated captain of my team by my teammates and coaches was a great moment for me. For me it demonstrated that the qualities I like most about the game and why I think earned my election for captain, like; being a part of a team, the people, the camaraderie, and the competition. As a player, I am a communicator on the field; I have a good first touch, ball control and foot skills. I am strong, fast, a hard worker and aggressive. Two areas I am currently focusing my development on is my ball striking and finishing. This past year of travel soccer and high school soccer my ball control and foot skills resulted in attacking situations that lead to multiple goals and assists. This was significant because I had traditionally been a supporting mid-field player and while I still play center midfield for my club and high school, I also play the number 9 role and as a wide mid-fielder to get in more 1 v 1, 1 v 2 and attacking situations.

My goal is to play at the collegiate level on a competitive and welcoming team. I would like a program that will continue to develop my individual soccer skills and knowledge of play while offering an opportunity to build relationships with my teammates, coaches and the university. My education is important to me as well as my fitness. I enjoy being a leader and listener because I do not think you can be one without the other. Thank you for taking the time to review my profile and I look forward to starting the recruiting process with you.