Christian Gardner '24 Recruiting Profile

I fell in love with soccer in 2008, watching Spain play in Euros. I was inspired by their passion and the way the team played the beautiful game. Carlos Puyol was the captain who led the team to victory by putting everyone in the best mind space and was an empowering and enthusiastic leader. They won 1-0 after a grueling game, which was amazing to watch. I was hooked and became determined after that day to pursue soccer even half as passionately as the Spaniards had. 

I was four years old in 2008 and I started playing soccer almost immediately after the Euros that year. Over the years, I’ve never once wavered in my commitment to soccer. It has been more than a sport to me, it has been my greatest passion, challenge, and source of achievement and release. I have learned that I am a natural-born captain who is always aware of how my teammates are feeling, and always engaging my fellow teammates in strategizing, pushing the team to perform to the best of its ability, and talking to my coach. It’s taught me to overcome many obstacles: two concussions, a broken wrist, and always returned to the game better, stronger, and committed to doing well in school.   

I am a defensive-minded player, as a right-back and center defensive midfielder. But one of my specialties is free kicks, and I take free kicks and corner kicks for my team.

Soccer and academics will always be my number one priorities. I am very much aware of the fact that at Division I, II, and III, the commitment to play soccer as a varsity athlete is a very big commitment over and above my academic one. Many have shied away from the idea of playing college sports but the college process for me is one where I embrace every challenge, every ounce of potential discomfort as an opportunity to push myself to be the very best I can be, as a student-athlete in the classroom and on the playing fields. As a three-sport athlete myself, I believe I have what it takes to do a good job of balancing and achieving my highest good.