Benjamin Shapiro '22 Recruiting Profile

I have always been captivated by team-based sports, whether scoring goals as a forward on my high school or club soccer team to watching college football or Miami Heat games with my Dad on the television. I love everything about sports, and for better or for worse, I could be characterized as that wide-eyed kid with a photographic memory for names who could spout off statistics and starting lineups for most professional and college teams. I am always in search for the perfect fantasy football lineup but have yet to find it. Sports have been central to my life starting from the day I was born when my Dad and I watched our first Miami Hurricanes football game together on October 2, 2003. I heard that he celebrated the first Canes touchdown while holding his newborn over his head in triumph. Sports have fulfilled me my entire existence, and thus I hope to make it an integral part of the rest of my life and career. In addition to being an avid spectator, I love being a member of a team and derive as much joy from seeing a teammate’s success on the field than I do my own. My education on the soccer field has provided the opportunity for me to grow as a leader in order to focus on success as a unit rather than as an individual, and how to cultivate friendships through mutual respect, encouragement, and team-building activities. Make no mistake about it, whenever I step onto the field I look to win as a team. However, I believe that greater success can be derived from more simpler acts such as helping an opposing player up off the ground after a hard foul, putting my arm around a defender who just gave away a free kick near the goal, or lifting my teammates up after a tough loss. My main goal in college is to help foster a career in leadership, put me in positions to create a winning team, and set me off onto a career dedicated to optimizing individuals and teams in a sports-based environment.

My lifetime goal is to foster relationships, lead by example and encouragement, and be a key member of a team. While I am very early in the process and recognize that so much can change within one’s career, my hope that I will be somewhere in the sports arena. Therefore, I am seeking out colleges that provide not just top soccer programs, but majors or focus areas in sports and business administration, leadership, and coaching. While I could easily envision coaching youth soccer in the future, my more immediate goals include learning about the process, framework, business, and science of team-based sports while cultivating my leadership and skills on the field. I hope that the skills I learn in my classes as well as on the soccer field will provide a solid foundation and springboard for formal, advanced graduate training in sports or business administration. I am also considering the pursuit of law school with a focus in sports in the hope of becoming a sports agent. I truly hope that no matter what my formal job is in the future, being a youth coach and student of the game who can foster a positive, encouraging, and team-based atmosphere will be also be a major priority. Thus, the ideal college would be one that provides the appropriate educational tracts while giving the ability to build my coaching and leadership experience through internships, formal education, and competitive soccer.   

While I understand that college coaches review many incredible incredible prospects more accomplished than myself, I feel that my core values and attributes may be uniquely appealing. My friends and family would describe me as a fun-loving, highly charismatic individual who loves to be a part of anything team focused. I lead by example and inspire a winning attitude by positivity and encouragement. On the field, I also exhibit grit, toughness, determination, and immense hard work. If I walk off the field with a clean uniform, then I did not work hard enough in the game. I am addicted to winning and being around winners. Individual accolades are less important than celebrating a team victory. I always approach soccer with a team-first mentality. Off the field, I am an easy-going guy who enjoys hanging out with friends on the basketball court, playing Madden on the Xbox with a large group of people, or hitting the beach. Beyond school, sports, and friends, I spend approximately 10 hours per week working for a local restaurant. Having a job is important to maintain independence and provide a sense of pride.

I will be most successful in a positive, winning environment that fosters high expectations, autonomy, and achievement. I hope that the college program that l I attend will foster an environment that brings out my best but sees the value in what makes me who I am as a person. While I will always love walking off the field as a winner, my dream college will be a place that allows me to be a winner in life regardless of the final score and outcome.