Ava Vaccarella '23 Recruiting Profile

I started running 5k's when I was about 5 years old.  I grew up with a family of runners.  I used to trail behind when I was younger than as I got older I started running faster and was able to pass my parents.   I've played soccer and lacrosse through Elementary school and the beginning of Jr. High School.   I did a local 5k with my school when I was in 7th grade and was then invited to join the varsity cross country team in the fall of 2018 as an 8th grader.  It was exciting, a big commitment and I was ready,  I was very proud.  I am a team player, I work hard at everything I do.  I am competitive and I like to do the best that I can and push even harder.  I put the time in during practice and I see that the hard work pays off during the season and especially race day.   My first cross country season, winter track and spring track was a great year.  I kept progressing throughout the entire year.  I made the times for states and competed well.   At the end of the season I ended up with some foot injuries. I had several fractures in my foot which made the 2019 season difficulty for me.  I tried to compete however my body wasn't healed and my numbers weren't there.  Then COVID hit and things changed a lot.   I started off the 2020 year a bit undertrained because of the injury the prior year.   This made me work really hard and I'm on my way back to where I was, only much stronger because I've learned a lot and had to work even harder.   I want to compete at the college level and I feel I would be an asset to a collegiate team.  I am a good candidate because I am a well rounded person with a strong work ethic.  I work hard on the field and off.   Academically I work hard as well.  I am a diligent student and eager to participate and complete my  assignments classwork.