Nathaniel Hecker '20 Recruiting Profile

Hello my name is Nate Hecker. I am a sophomore at Bellefontaine High School in Bellefontaine, Ohio. I have been playing soccer since the age of four and have simply fallen in love with the game. I started playing Club soccer in the fourth grade when I was nine years old and have been playing Club since then. I have played for two clubs: Classic Eagles in Columbus, Ohio and FC 42 in Marysville, Ohio. The apex of team performance so far occurred in 2015, with the Classic Eagles, when we went to Saint Louis, Missouri for Regionals for the President's Cup and finished 3rd out of eight very talented teams. For High School, I played one half of a season on JV and two halves on Varsity as a Sophomore. My High School went to District finals for the first time since 2011. We lost against the #10 team in the state after two penalty shoot outs (5-4) but it has only set our expectations higher for the upcoming season. My key strengths on the field are my willingness to go up and win headers, push forward in the attack and track back on defense. I love to get the ball on the ground and move it around, retain possession and frustrate the opponent. I also feel that long balls are also a strength of mine from switching the field or going forward. I see the field well, anticipate movement and remain aware of where my teammates are and spaces that are open. As a leader, I am very easy to get along with and would bring good chemistry to a team. I like to help out on the field through communicating where a man is on or to turn, to picking a teammate up if he misses a shot or missing a place during the pass. Soccer is amazing because it brings together a team dedicated to winning even though that isn't always the result. What we learn through losing is also very important and it's something we must all have the right perspective despite the pain. One example I can compare this to is during last year's district finals. A teammate was up for the PK that would allow us to win the entire thing. The tension was very high and this kick would validate our entire effort but unfortunately, he missed it "high, above the goalie, over the bar." While everyone was distraught, I knew the most devastated would be him. When it happened, I made my way over to him immediately to let him know that with the match seeming to fall on him and him alone, that was not the case. The entire team had played to that moment and we all took that kick. While it didn't go in, and we did not win, we had all earned the opportunity together and would share the feeling together so that he didn't feel like he had to absorb it all to himself. Academically, I have enjoyed classes that center around math, history and sports. My current GPA is 3.44 but my goal is 3.7 or higher. I am very interested in finding a collegiate study that involves sports and math or statistics. I am working towards getting into any college no matter what division it is. My hard work in the classroom shows for my work on the field and I will be just as excited to be in a college classroom as I will be to be on a college pitch. In addition to my efforts in school and soccer, I also play Baritone in the marching band. I discovered my interest...why I love it...like in soccer, I love to perform. Whenever I find free time and enough of my friends, I love to play Disc Golf throughout the spring and summer. In addition, I have been involved in my church which we began attending in 2006. I appreciate your consideration of me as a player, student and asset to your college and community.