Jaydn Nuñez '20 Recruiting Profile

My name Jaydn and I have been playing soccer since I was 4.  It was the first sport I was old enough to play and it was the only sport I ever wanted to play.  The town that I lived in was a football/baseball town and only had recreation teams that ran from U6 - U12.  The closer I got to age 12 the more people would tell me and my parents that we were wasting our time with soccer.   When I was 10, my parents were able to move me to Portland, a bigger city with competitive soccer teams.  The increase in the speed, level of skill, and overall competitiveness had me even more hooked.  I split time between Forward and Goalkeeper.  I was the teams leading scorer and the teams best goal stopper. 

As I grew older I realized that I was not growing as tall as the other boys, but I did not let that deter me in the least.  When I got into high school I was moved to Goalkeeper full time.  As a freshman I beat out taller, more experienced upperclassmen to make the varsity team.  I was the only freshman on the team.  Of course that didn't stop people from making their comments.  Whether it was people in the stands saying "He's so short" or opposing coaches telling their players "Take advantage of his height", I played my game.  I am a 5'7" wall and there is no one on the field bigger than me.  

My whole life I've been told that I'm too short.  I'm wasting my time.  There is no future in soccer for me.  Now I'm 17 and I'm an honor student on the verge of graduating.  I'm an all-district soccer player and a team captain.  My plan is to use soccer to help me get a degree in education.  When it's time to hang up my cleats,  I want to be a math teacher and a soccer coach.  I want to be an inspiration and a mentor to others.