Keira Doetzel '22 Recruiting Profile

Hello, my name is Keira Doetzel. I'm a 5’10” goalkeeper and grade 11 (Junior) honors student.I have always loved sports and being active, soccer is my favorite. I’ve had a passion for soccer since the day I stepped on the pitch, however, there are several moments that have helped me to realize just how much I love the sport. 

I have been training under the same goalkeeper trainer for the past 4 years and am thankful for his experience, push and encouragement, without it I would not have developed the skills I have today or the drive to be a better keeper.  I am also inspired by other keepers, and have been lucky enough to meet and do some goal setting sessions with one of my heroes, Stephanie Labbe, Canada Women’s National Soccer Teams Goalkeeper. This helped me to realize the possibilities I am able to achieve, as well as the level of dedication needed to reach those goals. Roughly a year after meeting my idol I had the opportunity to go to Spain to train, it gave me a real taste of not just the speed of the game but the culture of the game and the amount of love the people around me shared for it.

Even though I have been given these opportunities, I am aware that adversity will strike. In April  2019 I had knee surgery that set me back for months. All I could think of when I was recovering was when I could play soccer again. It felt as if I had lost the thing I loved most and I knew I couldn't let it be the end. Recovery took longer than expected, instead of letting it get me down I used it as my motivation, setting goals for myself and working hard to get back to the game I love most. 

It was my drive and work ethic that got me through the rough patches, and that same drive also helped me earn MVP honors with my soccer team in 2019 and the top female athlete award as a high school freshman. I also received the sportsmanship award for my soccer team 2018. I am proud of these accomplishments however, they are only a part of who I am, my studies are very important to me as I hope to become  a sports medicine doctor and am dedicated to maintaining strong grades throughout my education. If you were to ask people that know me, they would say I am a kind and caring person that pushes myself and the people around me to be better. They would say I am dedicated, hardworking, and selfless. I believe that because of these values, my skills, and willingness to grow I would be a valuable contribution to any team.