Joe McCabe '17 Recruiting Profile

Soccer has influenced my life in more ways than I could possibly relay.  It has made me a harder worker, a better leader, and an exceptional team player.  I have built strong friendships and built life skills and characteristics that will help me for the rest of my life.  Playing soccer since I was 4 years old, I have always had a passion for the sport. 

As the seasons go by, and I have developed as a soccer player, I have learned many things about myself.  I find myself to be an extremely dedicated, eager player with a strong work ethic, determined to be the best that I can be.  I come out each and every practice and game and play my hardest.  I have sacrificed for the game, and for the team, but that has made me a better person, and a better player.  I find that playing well not only aids in my own development, but also that as I continue to give it my all, my hard work affects the players around me.  My teammates need me, and I need them.  Together, we push each other to be the best that we can be.  I feel that this demonstration of my leadership qualities has been, at least in part, a determining factor to earning the role and privilege of Captain on both my club and high school teams.  Soccer has really brought to me the true meaning of teamwork.  This is a skill that I will have forever, and will set me apart from others. 

As these life skills have developed, my goals in life have developed as well.  My mission is to utilize my soccer skills and abilities to my advantage in my pursuit of higher education.  My plan is to play soccer at a 4 year college, and major in engineering.  I feel that continuing with soccer is a necessity.  Not only am I passionate about the sport, having played it my entire life, but I know the role that soccer has played in developing my personal characteristics of leadership, teamwork, dedication, and persistence, and I would love the opportunity to continue to progress at the collegiate level, both on and off the field.

Although I am passionate about the sport, I have made academics a priority at the same time.  I have worked very hard to get into every honors class that I can, and have earned at least Honor Roll, or High Honor Roll status every semester so far, as well as Scholar-Athlete status.  With this work ethic on and off the field, I feel that my contribution to any college campus and team would be mutually beneficial.

As a player, I find myself to have a very precise touch, neat and close to the foot.  One of my best contributions to my team is my ability to keep my head up and distribute the ball around the field, whether that means switching the point of attack or moving the ball into dangerous positions in the attack.  I like to get into the offense as much as the game allows.  Having a unique vision for the game and sense of my surroundings on the field, I take the right opportunities at the right time to advance in the final third and take a shot.  Over the years, I have developed excellent communication skills, assisting and directing my teammates on the field at all times.  I support them with positioning, where their mark is, where to play the ball, and when to dribble into space, among other tasks, as dictated in-the-moment, on the field.  Providing this leadership role over the years, I feel, has been crucial to my teams’ successes on the soccer field. 

Overall, soccer is and always has been a vital part of my life, and has definitely shaped the young man I am today.  Utilizing both the technical skills and character traits I have honed through my experiences, I am excited to see the role soccer will play during this upcoming, pivotal stage in my life.