Cael Sykes '20 Recruiting Profile

I have been taught to be a leader on and off the field by showing great character and helping others in need.  I have three brothers, and I have always tried to be a great example for them all, especially my younger brothers who look to me for help and guidance in life.  My parents have taught me to be competitive and always to be humble and respectful both in success and when things don't go as I'd hoped.  Good sportsmanship and teamwork are qualities that I pride myself on no matter the circumstances on and off the field.  Kindness, compassion, honesty and integrity are traits that my parents have instilled in me throughout my life and I am confident that coaches, teachers, friends, pastors and others that know me will share that same feedback with anyone that asks.

As far as my future college program of study and career go, I have yet to determine my exact path yet, but I am interested academically and professionally in a career where I am directly involved with helping others especially kids and those less fortunate.  If I had to pick my future college program and career today I would likely choose to teach and coach one day.  It's my goal to use sports to obtain a college degree and through competition continue to develop into a person of the highest character, and reach my highest potential, so that I can make a positive difference in people's lives to the best of my ability.  Like many young athletes my goal is to compete at the highest level and I understand that my opportunity to do so depends upon my character, values, and work ethic in the class room and on and off the field.

I believe it is important to share both success and setbacks in life, and the areas one needs the most improvement in, and for me that is academically.  On Christmas morning of my Freshman year I had a grand mall seizure that resulted in me being taken by ambulance to a children's hospital in Des Moines Iowa, and the eventual diagnosis that I had epilepsy.  Prior to this my parents, health care professionals, and I did not know that I had epilepsy.  It was an event that changed my life, mostly for good, but the first two years after my seizure and diagnosis were  very challenging.  I was placed on several medications that had a negative impact on me cognitively and academically, and my grades suffered as a result.  It took some time to figure out the proper medication and dosage to properly manage my epilepsy, and I have never had a repeat seizure.  That is the good news.  The bad news is my grades suffered during that time, but I have been improving my GPA, and my goal is to be NCAA eligible upon graduation from High School in 2020.

I consider myself to be a well-rounded individual as well as an athlete.  I have volunteered to mentor younger kids in our church's Awana's program, and I have helped people in need by participating in youth mission's programs for over five years. I have also continually volunteered to help those in need in our local community, most recently helping people cleanup and rebuild whose whoms were damaged or destroyed after a tornado struck Bondurant, IA in the summer of 2018.  I am a multi-sport athlete starting on my high school Varsity football, soccer, and rugby teams.

It has been an honor and a lot of fun to participate in high school athletics, and I look forward to future success in college both athletically and academically.