Aria Craig '24 Recruiting Profile

My soccer journey begins at age five when a family friend took me to watch her son play. I had never been exposed to the sport prior to that day since I am the oldest of 3 siblings and neither of my parents played soccer. After watching only one game, I knew that soccer was what I wanted to do. I asked my parents to sign me up and I have been on this journey ever since.

My path has been influenced by my Dad's military service which led my family and I to move three times. Our final move from San Antonio to Houston was the toughest on me from a soccer standpoint. I was an outsider on a new team playing with an older age group and I was ready to quit. Then I experienced a pivotal moment during a regular season game. I still remember the goal I saved that reignited my love for soccer. After this small but significant personal success, I started to put in more effort, care about my performance, engage in outside training and I began to see results. During this time, I tried out for an ECNL team but did not make the roster. Despite this disappointment, I had enough confidence to keep going. My perseverance led to success at the Development Academy tryouts and I found myself in a more competitive, focused, team-oriented environment. This experience taught me that no one can take away your passion or confidence but you. It also showed me that patience is key.

My Dad is the main one who has helped shaped me into the player I am. He always believes in me, trains with me, genuinely cares, and wants me to be successful. My Dad loves the quote by Henry Hartman, "Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity." He facilitates my growth by seeking out challenging opportunities and I now have the privilege of competing and practicing at the highest level as a player in the ECNL Texas Conference.

I take pride in my physical 1 v. 1 defending, heading ability and vision on the field to deliver accurate passes. I study film, both my own and the competition, and understand its importance. I have been in the starting lineup and sat the bench, but I believe the most important aspect is contributing to the team. I have watched people who play twenty minutes impact the game more than a person who played ninety minutes.

In order to be successful, I have learned that you must be willing to step out of your comfort zone to reach your end goal. For me, this not only includes performing under pressure but also making a four-hour drive from Houston to Dallas for all practices/games and participating in online school which has meant giving up a traditional high school experience. Despite the challenges, I believe that online school is preparing me to be a collegiate athlete by teaching me time management skills and how to study/learn independently. In college, I plan to pursue a degree in politics, journalism or medicine. I want my career to give me the opportunity to be influential in the lives of others.