Mariah Polk '25 Recruiting Profile

"The future rewards those who press on. I don't have time to feel sorry for myself. I don't have time to complain. I'm going to press on." This quote by Barack Obama connects me to soccer. In the game, mistakes are going to happen, but it matters what you do with them. I was first introduced to soccer at the age of two. I played for our local city's recreational league until I was seven. I also juggled playing basketball. I currently play for Wilson Youth Soccer Association for the 2006 girls team as left wing and center forward. We play in the Piedmont Conference of the National League, and we placed 1st in the league two years in a row. I use to play for 264 Futsal and Soccerbox Futsal Club located in Wilson, NC. In my first year playing, I attended the 2020 National Championships and placed 3rd.

Throughout soccer I have played as a defender, goalie, striker, midfielder, and forward. I fell in love with soccer at age 10 when I was able to play for a great coach and my teammates who are like sisters to me! I think it's cool in my league that you can meet new people from different states and already have a connection through soccer. Most days I only wanted to go to soccer and completely skip school. We sometimes don't always get along while playing, but at the end of the day, we come together to play the sport we connect with. As a left wing, I like to attack using my speed and either cutting inside or crossing with my left. In 2019, at the age of 12, I attended the UNC women's junior elite soccer camp.  We worked on long balls, dribbling skills, correct conditioning and stretching, and we played many games. At the end of the camp when it came time for awards, I was presented with the MVP for the best attacking player. I was also given the opportunity to play with the college bound  players against a couple of players on the UNC women's team. My past two seasons I have finished with 12+ goals. On the field, my playmaking skills help me to become a leader. I influence others by encouraging them and talking to them directly rather than having a bad attitude and criticizing teammates.  

I am currently a sophmore, and I attend James B. Hunt High School. All throughout my years of middle school and high school I have had straight A’s. As a student I would describe myself as a high achiever. I sometimes stress too much because I want to do the best I possibly can. I want to continue my education with mostly A's because I know that I am capable. In college, I would like to study all the way until I get my masters degree and my ultimate goal is to earn my PhD. In 2018, my counselor nominated me to attend the Pathways to STEM camp by Envision. I attended the University of Maryland at College Park. I built and programmed my own robot, dissected a cow heart, and solved a crime. My favorite time of the day was the CSI unit. I learned about blood splatter and I was also taught how to test for fingerprints. I remember coming home and from then on, I loved to watch the tv shows about crime and mysteries. With the tv shows, I realized bodies aren't my interest, but the behind the scene investigation is what really intrigues me! I haven't made any decisions, but I see myself potentially studying forensic science or law. In the future I would possibly like to be a DNA Analyst or a prosecutor.

Outside of sports, I express my creativity through music. In middle school, I sgng in our mixed choir and I played clarinet. While doing chores, homework, or really just at random times, I most likely have a music playlist on! I started playing clarinet in sixth grade. Outside of school, I play piano which has been a hobby of mine since first grade. After games or just in some spare time, I'm obsessed with shopping and house designing. "In the field of sports you are more or less accepted for what you do rather than what you are". - Althea Gibson