Yvonne Pratt '25 Recruiting Profile

Growing up I have always been an athlete, I found it comforting and a place of therapy. As I grew up, I realized that it’s also fun and that I want to play sports for my profession. Finding the right sport was quite easy I would say because I played many different sports while growing up. To find the right sport it all went down to which made me smile the most and gave me the excitement. That is why I chose Soccer, the thrill and comfort it brings me is something that no other sport can bring me.

Coming into middle school I changed school because of my dad’s job. My earlier school was not competitive, it was fun but not competitive. When I came to my recent school, I finally realized what it meant to be a student-athlete and the competitiveness it came with. That just made me more fired up, knowing that I was on the right track and that I do want to go pro in sports, specifically Soccer.

Watching games is an obvious way to get interested in sports, but for me it was training, training hard to grow better, and watching those skills live, or watching them being put in a game on YouTube. One thing that I have learned about myself is that I am an adaptive person, ready for any challenge, and although my teammates might complain about certain training days, I don’t usually agree with them.

Some academic goals that I have set for myself are personal growth, lifelong learning, and study habits. I want to be able to focus on personal development, such as developing self-confidence, resilience, and a strong work ethic, while creating study habits that work for me, such as making a study timetable, taking notes, and getting help when needed. I also want to stay current in the profession and adapt to changing conditions, cultivate a love for lifelong learning and professional growth.

One obstacle I had to face was adjusting, from the fun games to serious practice and becoming a real student-athlete. It was at first challenging, but the determination was strong, so I was able to adjust quickly and work with my new teammates. My motto has been ‘Soar’, just like the eagle loves the storm so too do I love challenges. It makes you better in the sense that in the long term, you will see that you don’t need as much energy as before while doing the necessary skills. Although I can’t fly, I use the word ‘soar’ metaphorically, for me it means rising and climbing to great heights while achieving something extraordinary. So, for my college life, I hope to soar.

Some unique characteristics/ skills I would say I have are adaptability when it comes to quick/last minute adjustments, resilience, which helps me to bounce back from challenges and to adapt to inconvenient situations, and artistic talent, for I have always been talented especially in sports, playing many different sports competitively while growing up.