Gaby Giraldo '21 Recruiting Profile

My name is Gaby Giraldo and I have played competitive soccer for the last seven years. For all those years, I have played with my parents as coaches due to their soccer experience from playing D1 college soccer. Having my parents as coaches has instilled several very important lessons and values in me: I always do as I am asked, I anticipate needs before I am told, I always play my hardest, and I have learned to play every field position. Living in an area where girls soccer is not very popular, I have always gained valuable skills playing pick up soccer with men and playing on a boys' teams. I have grown comfortable with the speed and physicality of playing with adults and males, which serves me well when I do play for my club soccer team or high school soccer team. Playing at high speed has developed my vision and spatial awareness of both opposing players and of my teammates around me. Soccer has provided a valuable outlet for me to grow and develop as a leader. I have served as class president at my high school for the past two years, as well as being voted captain of my varsity high school soccer the past two years as well. Above all, soccer has taught me the value of hard work. I have put in hours of practice on the skills I'm lacking, often going to the field every day to work on my weaker areas. Constant practice and discipline have allowed me to improve my soccer vastly. The results of this hard work in soccer has really proven the value of hard work, a value that I personify in every game and practice I play in.