Ella Marlatt '23 Recruiting Profile

*Note that my game film was when we were very short on players and I had to play center mid instead of my normal forward position*

I never would’ve dreamed as a six-year-old girl doing cartwheels in the goal in the middle of my Impact u7 game, that this game of soccer would turn out to be such a big part of my life and dream for the future. I played soccer on and off the first 10 years of my life but the past 7 years that I have played travel soccer have impacted me so much as a player and as a person. I believe what I have learned over these years can be summarized in one sentence: focus on what you CAN control. I can fight through things even when it’s hard and it hurts, respect my coaches and officials even when it would be easy to follow the crowd, give my best effort whether my team is winning or losing, and so on. There are so many factors that I CAN control so there’s no point in focusing on everything I can’t control. As a teenage girl, I have always struggled with confidence. At an NCSA webinar, a lady by the name of Tami was speaking on the topic of confidence, so I was dialed in. One of her main points was that confidence is something that we are in control of, and ever since then I have been striving to control my confidence. This is something that has been especially relevant in 2020 with many things in life being interrupted across the world and so many unexpected things happening.

As far as soccer goes, I started playing in 2014 (u11) and I have played ever since. I do not plan on playing high school soccer, but I will be playing for a club in Ohio in the spring instead. I feel that I am a strong leader on my team. At home, I am the oldest of 9 siblings (3 biological, 4 adopted, and 2 that we are in the process of adopting). I feel that one of my God-given gifts is leadership and I really developed that quality at home, and I am now able to be a better leader for my team. I love to help and serve people in whatever way I can, and this applies to my soccer team because they are not only my teammates, but some of my closest friends. So, I can encourage them in soccer, but I also have the opportunity to be there for them and lift them up in their personal lives as well.

There are a few qualities I am seeking to find in a future team. I want to be on a team that prioritizes respect (among teammates, coaches, referees, community, etc.). It is important to me that I am on a team where I can be myself and grow as a person through this wonderful game. I desire for the girls I would be playing with to be able to have fun together, but also get down and push each other to their best potential. In the past, I have been described as an academic player, and I would love a coach who will hold me accountable and help me grow in that aspect. I am also looking for a coach that will intentionally pour into me as a person and will challenge me and increase my knowledge of not only this wonderful game, but my knowledge of life in general and how to live it to the fullest. 

Thank you for taking time to read this and view my profile. I hope to talk to you soon.