Austin Powell '24 Recruiting Profile

There are a few people and things that have influenced who I am today but having a supportive family has the biggest influence on my life. The most influential people in my life have always been those closest to me. My family is small but supportive. My mom and dad taught me and my brother a strong work ethic – to aim high, work hard, form positive relationships and value education. My parents nurture me, guide me and comfort me through anything I experience in life and that gives me the strength and courage to follow my dreams and successfully go after what I want in life.

In 4^th grade my dad put me in youth football and I instantly fell in love with the sport. I love being able to get out on that field and show up and show out with my fellow team mates. I was never really into sports before playing youth football. I watched sports casually, and remember watching a few NFL games with my dad, but other than that I didn’t grow up having a favorite NFL team or player. I did love and look up to Kobe Bryant. I admire Kobe because when Kobe played you could see his work ethic, talent, greatness and love for the game every time he stepped on the court. Through playing football, I learned that I am a team player, strong, hardworking, disciplined, responsible and have great coordination. I’ve learned that football is a lot like life. Life requires teamwork, discipline, resiliency, respect, compassion, and integrity. Playing football has helped me to enhance those skills and apply them on the field and in my everyday life.

My academic goals for high school include maintaining good grades. I am also looking into taking college courses at the local community college during the off season to start gaining credits that will apply to my first year of college. My goal for college is to continue to maintain good grades and graduate with a degree in Engineering. The only obstacles I currently face are body pains or minor injuries. I know pain is a part of the game and sports has taught me to have a strong body and mind. As athletes we are learning to push our bodies beyond what we believe it can do, to achieve our goals. Though I haven’t really faced any real obstacles in life, without football I may have faced many obstacles and adversity. I believe self-discipline is the most unique characteristic that I possess. I’m the type of person that can overcome temptations and stay on a path to success. I’m not a person who procrastinates or is self-doubtful. I put in the hard work and often need little to no supervision. I’m also a very optimistic person. I always see the good in situations and I try to never focus on negative outcomes. These characteristics, I believe is what drives me to keep going and will help me to continue to thrive throughout my life.