Valencia Gosser '22 Recruiting Profile

 My story begins before I was even born.  I was born in Trenton New Jersey one of 14 children.  I was born at 3 pounds and addicted to multiple drugs. My birthparents we’re not able to take care of me so I was put into a foster home and put up for adoption.  I was physically and mentally handicap and considered hard to adopt. 

 My adoptive parents were looking for a girl to adopt. They lost one of their adopted sons in March 2002 and wanted to open up their homes again. That’s where my story begins. My parents were told that there was a girl  that was considered hard to adopt and was multiply handicapped and they were looking for a home for her.  My family was used to challenges for they already had five handicapped children and we’re ready to finalize their family with a little girl. That little girl was me.

In the beginning of my life I had a hard time learning to walk. I wore leg braces, I received therapy’s to help loosen my body. To help with my speech I had speech lessons. To help with my stiffness, I had physical therapy. To help with my education, I got extra help in school.

Slowly, I stated to over come all of these disabilities. I also started sports. I ended up doing really well in sports. I fell in love with basketball. When I went to middle school I decided to do track so I would have three sports. I did volleyball, basketball and track. Who would of thought that the little girl who couldn’t walk would excel In track.

That is where my love for track started. I knew I was fast  from my fast breaks and steals on the basketball court. I just ran short sprints and I loved it. By 8th grade I had broken records and was looking forward to high school. My freshman year in high school, I broke multiple records and was invited to the Meet of Championship. That day was so exciting that I decided that track was my main sport. Sophomore year I played volleyball then went right into winter track. I again was invited to the Meet of Champions and my love of track was solidified. 

I am a surviver. I love competing and learning new things. I want nothing more than to be part of a team and excel in my sport.