Jalen Haist '21 Recruiting Profile

Steve Jobs once said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” I fell in love with soccer the day I learned how to kick a ball. In fact, my parents tell me the first word I ever spoke was “ball” while holding a baby-sized soccer ball. When I was on the three-year-old recreational soccer team, my coach was impressed with my ability to understand the concept of the game and my control over the ball; I have been playing the game ever since. Over the years, I have improved this talent by attending numerous camps, playing for various clubs, and participating at the varsity level in soccer, swim, and track, as well as recreational futsal in order to enhance my endurance and increase my stamina to become a better, more well-rounded player. 

As captain of my varsity high school soccer team, I have earned the Golden Boot Award three years in a row, and in 2019, I earned the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Player of the Week Award. I have worked hard for success and have encouraged my teammates to achieve their best in all aspects of the game including practices, drills, and competitions. Possibly stemming from my brief time as captain of the chess team, I have learned that I possess a passion for strategizing and visualizing how to overcome the opposition, and I look forward to enhancing these skill sets while developing new ones throughout my college career. 

Academically, I plan to pursue a major in the field of engineering, math, or science. I have always been fascinated by math and science and have attended several camps and academies over the years, including a NASA Summer Aerospace Academy at which I earned first place for creating a working wind turbine. Maintaining a 4.1 GPA and scoring a 34 on the ACT, I have excelled in all honors and AP coursework in high school and am a member of the National Honor Society as well as DECA. I have also volunteered at the Museum of the Albemarle as a junior docent, serving at several educational programs for children in my community. Last summer, I worked as a certified lifeguard at our local waterpark, which proved both challenging and rewarding. All of these experiences have helped me to become more dedicated and build time management skills that translate onto the soccer field.

I am excited to move forward in both soccer and academics, welcoming any and all opportunities the future may hold. I am confident that I will make a positive addition to a college level team.