Hayden Bobowick '24 Recruiting Profile

The qualities that make me the best candidate for any track or academic program are my drive and my will to succeed.

Early on in life, I believed I was good at everything. With minimal effort, it seemed as though I could achieve whatever I wanted.  In my freshman year, however, everything changed. As online learning came into full effect, I expected things to come as easily to me as they had in the past. Yet, I quickly found out that online learning was an extremely difficult mode of learning for me. As I started to do poorly in school, I embraced my lack of motivation and I began to lose myself.

Furthermore, after only two weeks of my outdoor track season, I contracted COVID-19. I was hit hard. Bed-ridden for weeks, I developed complications with my heart and was forced to miss out on the rest of the season.

My mental health was in the toilet, and I had no motivation. I decided to turn myself around and I dug in. In my Sophomore year, I brought my grades up and started working hard in my sports. When I focused on swimming and soccer, I didn’t think I would run in the spring. Yet, in a last-minute decision, I chose to try again. I fell in love. Now, I am getting top grades in the most rigorous classes that my school offers, and I am succeeding in sports at the highest level that I can. Additionally, I am involved in my community and trying my best to follow my interests.

Although I wish my GPA and grades were better early on, I wouldn’t do it any other way. Learning the value of real-life consequences and finding my force of motivation are the only things that have brought me to where I am today.

It is this journey that I think prepares me best for any track program. I truly believe that I can achieve anything I put my mind to, and I never take no for an answer.