Djolanda Holder '24 Recruiting Profile

I am originally from Haiti and soccer (foutbòl) is popular there. I fell in love with soccer at a very young age watching my biological parents admiring the game. After the earthquake in 2010, life got very difficult for my biological family and my neighborhood was extremely dangerous. My biological mother decided to place me and my sister in an orphanage so that I could have a better and safer life. I was 7 years old at the time. 

In the orphanage, I played soccer almost every day. However, our version of soccer was bare feet with whatever we could possibly kick into a makeshift goal. At our orphanage we had many visitors and one American recognized my love and talent for soccer. He sponsored me to attend a soccer camp in Haiti. This was one of the happiest weeks because I was allowed to play soccer on a field and I began learning some of the rules. 

Christmas of 2018, I was officially adopted and moved home with my new family to Florida. My adoptive parents noticed right away my love for soccer and so I began my journey of learning the sport in America. One of my first coaches in middle school was Coach Breitenstein. He would meet with me individually off the field to strengthen my skills. In 2020, I joined a co-ed club in Deltona. This was challenging for me but I loved the coach and enjoyed the challenge that it brought. 

My freshman year at Father Lopez Catholic School was a year in which I trained in cross country as well as soccer. Cross country was challenging but I loved the challenge and got faster each meet. But soccer is where I am happiest. I was placed on offense that year and scored 8 goals throughout the season. I was named Offensive MVP of the season. I have been told by my parents and other coaches that I have an ability to see the field well and pass efficiently. The issue that I would have sometimes is that I was passing to players that did not “see” my pass coming. But I did not give up and over time we learned to be a team together. 

In 2022, my parents moved me from Florida to Hawaii and I played soccer for Kalaheo High School. It was an awesome year. I was a sophomore on JV so I played in every single game almost the entire game. I am so excited to play in my senior year on varsity at Kalaheo. Due to my age, I have skipped my junior year to graduate on time. I am an exceptional student and care deeply about my work. I love being a part of a team. While I was not the best communicator when I got to America, I have since learned to shout and communicate on the field. 

Typically, I am positioned as a forward or outside midfielder and I love playing both. What makes me a great forward is my ability to shoot and my speed. What makes me a great outside midfielder is my ability to read the game and position the ball where it needs to be. My goal this year is to excel in school, have a winning soccer season and continue to gain confidence on the field. While I might be shy off the field, I am loud and I have great communication skills on the pitch. I hope that I get to play soccer in college and will do my best to make it happen.