Ethan Conners '19 Recruiting Profile

My name is Ethan Conners and I am a 2019 graduate at Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois. I’ve been playing soccer since 2nd grade. It became clear to me after just a year that I was no longer interested in playing other sports. It wasn’t until I turned 12 that I decided to play goalkeeper.

Before making the decision to play goalkeeper, I was always a striker. I loved having the ball at my feet, and I was never afraid to take on a defender because of my confidence in my foot skills. I am comfortable demanding the ball from my defenders in all kinds of situations to alleviate pressure or open up the field of play. I’ve always been calm, even in the biggest moments of games or in situations needing the most concentration. If I receive the ball at my feet in tough situations I am comfortable in playing the ball up the field or to a teammate. 

One of my most important qualities as a player is my desire to learn. I am constantly watching soccer on TV and YouTube. I like the idea of picking up new things from the goalkeepers that I could work on and implement into my game. An example was when I first took interest in soccer in 2010. Watching the World Cup that year, I noticed how even the goalkeepers were able to kick the ball comfortably with their non-dominant foot. This seemed like such an important skill so I worked every day kicking a ball into a hockey net in my basement 100 times until I was good with this skill. 

I’m lucky to have received a fair amount of goalie training through private coaching or through the Olympic Development Program. I’ve learned the importance of communicating with my defenders. Additionally, my participation in several Futsal leagues over the years helped me develop quick reflexes and foot skills that I believe help set me apart from my competition.

My goal is to play soccer for a very competitive program in college. While I fully expect to put in my time as a younger player and defer to the more seasoned upper classmen, I’ll work constantly to be ready to take the field when called upon. I believe this friendly competition for playing time will make us better as a unit and a team.

Outside of soccer, I’ll be pursuing a degree in marketing or entrepreneurship due to my positive experience in several related classes at my high school – one of which included a trip to meet with marketing executives from The Walt Disney Company and Comcast / Universal Studios in Florida. I have definitely learned that succeeding in soccer at the highest levels of competition demands hard work, but that the sense of pride in accomplishing something as a team makes it so worthwhile. I will carry this mentality with me away from the pitch throughout my life.