Connor Sechrist '24 Recruiting Profile

My first memory of school was filled with worry and anxiety. I was afraid that I would drop my behavior clip and get in trouble again. I was scared of sitting still and listening to what seemed like hours. Most of all, I was afraid of reading out loud. Reading was my idea of a nightmare. Letters and words would swarm in front of me and make no sense. What made sense to me as a six-year-old boy was being outside all day and setting up a fishing rod or playing with a ball and climbing a tree.

The truth is not much has been immediate or easy in my life. While this statement starts with the negative, I can promise it is a positive. I learned the importance of faith, family, and good help through my needs. I learned to work hard to overcome and take nothing for advantage. I also learned to celebrate each win but learn from each loss on the courts, in the classroom, and my life.

By 8th grade, I had the proper support, and ‘words’ in the class started to make sense. I also discovered a passion in my life- tennis. By age 12, I had played every sport imaginable. I loved being on a team and playing sports, but it was in 8th grade in a PE class that I picked up my first tennis racquet. The rest was history. 

I am a senior at Mount Airy High School (Class of 2024) this year. I will begin my fourth year of tennis in the spring, where I am currently playing number two as the senior captain on the team. I play UTR tennis tournaments in the off-season. I still have a lot to learn.

In high school, I've worked to find my strengths. I am a member of the CTE Honor Roll. My GPA is a B average, and I am taking three beginning college courses. I went from struggling to read in my early years to discovering my strength was in English language arts.  I completed two internships. My internship supervisors described me as being “hardworking,” “very good with people,” and “will be successful at a future career in journalism.” I have been a Technology Student Organization (TSA) member for two years.  

In my personal life, I am a member of my local youth and active in my church. I volunteer to coach for the Antioch Upward Football Team with kids between the ages of 6 and 12, and I currently work between 15 and 20 hours a week at a local grocery store.

If I had to summarize my personal statement, I’m always working and improving. I’m coachable, reliable, and willing to do what is needed for success. I hope to pursue college to pursue a possible future in sports journalism, management, or a career working with people.