Nathan Yates '22 Recruiting Profile

Pushing myself to achieve the next goal and helping others to do the same is what has characterized my high school years and I hope will remain a part of my college years. I have a personal goal to break a 4 minute mile, sub 9 minute 3200 m, and sub 14 minute 5k. Those are just my running goals. Getting good grades while learning more about Information Technology to earn a degree is just as important. Lastly, remaining connected with my family and being involved in a local church are extremely vital part of my life.

When coaches see my times what they do NOT see is the obstacles I had to overcome to achieve those times. During my four years in high school I have pushed through a myriad of setbacks from broken bones to cold weather induced asthma. It seemed that every year I had some sort of obstacle to mentally and physically push through in order to keep running and believe I could still achieve the goals I set for myself. What I didn't anticipate was how those trials were developing in me the character qualities of perseverance and discipline. These qualities have been essential in other areas of life and especially in my academic studies. I am grateful for all of the lessons running has taught me so far. 

Finally, a community of fellow runners is essential to share lessons learned and push each other to strive for individual goals and team goals. Being in community is what makes it all worth while and gives joy to the journey.