Dean Harper '24 Recruiting Profile

First and foremost, the most important thing about myself is that I am a Christian. I have felt the presence of God throughout my life, and without his grace, I would most certainly not be where I am today. In addition to my great relationship with God, I also have wonderful relationships with both of my parents. They have been my biggest supporters, and have always believed in me.

The main word that I would use to describe myself is “resilient.” My youth soccer career attests to that. When I was 11 years old, I was involved in an accident, where my right foot was crushed by a steel pole, and my growth plate was broken as a result. I was not able to return to training for 12 weeks. During those 12 weeks, however, I went to every single training session and game, including ones over four hours away from my house, to support my team. After months of strengthening physically and emotionally, I was finally back to the level that I was performing at before the broken foot.

Five years ago I made the choice to change teams, joining AFC Lightning, even though Atlanta was three hours away. I did my homework in the car, and I’ve maintained a straight - A average. I’ve worked hard on my mental game (including working with a mental coach), and my parents and I traveled three days a week because the coaches were extremely supportive and the team was a tight-knit group. Because we had a winning attitude, we won a lot, and I began playing the best soccer of my career. 

Now, I have been playing in Spain at a residential academy in Betera for the last two years. I have seen my speed of play rise dramatically and I have also grown up off the pitch. I learned how to live in dorms with roommates and take care of myself while playing at an extremely high level. 

Ultimately, because I’m determined and resilient, and I have faith, I know that I can handle anything, on the pitch and in life.