zoe pingleton '19 Recruiting Profile

Going into high school, I didn't know what group I would end up fitting into, especially when it came to sports. But after talking to some of the upperclassmen, almost every one of them told me I would be good at shot put and discus. So 14-year-old Zoe did her research. I watched some old clips of Olympians and college athletes throwing and thought that when conditioning starts in the spring I would give it a try. So after attending one, I became obsessed with throwing and have been ever since. Ending every season knowing I've improved and gotten stronger physically and mentally is the best feeling in the world. To me, the feeling of personal success is addicting. After my first ever season of track, I knew that this sport was going to be the best memories of my high school career.

For starting a sport as a freshman in high school with no experience whatsoever, I personally believe that my throws are pretty far.  However, I know I have more room to grow physically, specifically with the distance of my throws. I also have room to grow mentally by gaining more knowledge of better techniques to help me succeed. I believe that performing at the collegiate level is the best way to allow improvement in the aforementioned areas.

I strive to be the best version of myself I can be, but doing so comes with a lot of struggles. However, when things get difficult I do not give up. I personally work better when the stakes are higher, so knowing this year that college coaches are going to be watching my every move has pushed me to become better prepared for the work ahead of me. I have been working harder than ever to maintain my throws and to increase my personal record by 8 feet to beat a high school record which has been standing since 1983. In the classroom, I work to maintain a high GPA by asking lots of questions, turning in work promptly, and also by allotting time for studying when needed. In terms of volunteering, I assist my track team every spring in helping elementary kids learn and get interested in track and field events.

I want to attend a college that can not only push my athletic capabilities further, but can also expand my academic knowledge as well . I personally think academics come first when a student is a part of a team, taking into consideration that we are called student-athletes for a reason. Therefore knowing that my grades will determine if I can play a sport in college, classes will be my number one priority. But of course, a close second will be to make my parents and siblings proud of who I have become.