Audrey Tacey '19 Recruiting Profile

Hi, my name is Audrey.

    It’s funny how small moments in life can shape your person. In my case, some of my most prized and difficult moments have come from the beautiful game of soccer. However, not all of these moments came from the game itself, but the folks involved in coaching kids. From a young age, I was drawn to the sport because of its highly competitive edge. Scoring goals, the sideline hoorah, even the halftime snacks were all good things, don’t get me wrong. But it wasn’t those things specifically that fueled my fire on the field. What inspired me was the challenge of taking the pitch no matter what team, what climate, what coach or what parents were jeering or cheering, because I realized I had power - power to take over a game with the internal flip of a switch. It was imagining things on the field that didn’t seem plausible at the present moment, and making them come true with my teammates. It was the opportunity to use all of my training, preparation and that intense desire, which stored within my soul, ready to be unleashed to change the course of a match.

    Unfortunately, coaches I have played for in the past, due to their coaching methods and egos came very close to crushing my spirit, which they all knew I had on the field. I do not intend to blame them for their faults because no coach is perfect. However, I attribute some of these experiences to have helped me cultivate self-reliance, accountability and resilience in my pursuit of “better” as a person and a player, which now defines my motivation for playing soccer.

    The crucible of my experience in playing the game that I love is that I set aside the ego, and simply do my best and make any team, teammate, and school I play with or represent better every time I take the pitch.

    I have always balanced my passion for soccer with my love for dance. As early as the 5^th grade, I recognized the importance of cross-training to keep my body agile and flexible which dance provided. I have met many athletes through the years whose athletic ability was very one-dimensional. As a result, their “toolbox” of physical assets was limited and/or they repeatedly got injured. By being a well-rounded athlete, I have developed good discipline in managing my body’s work load, and necessary recovery. It is evident that however different dance and soccer are, the benefits of poise, footwork, agility, and spacial awareness of dance has shaped me into the player that I am today.

    In regards to school, I love to learn. What draws me to learning is out of my own curiosity and drive to master concepts. That is the difference maker in my own learning. I always strive for excellence in the classroom which is evident by my grades, however the grade doesn’t define the extent of my learning. For the record, I would rather take a challenging class that interests me than ace an easy class that doesn’t enhance my learning. I have challenged myself in this area through my participation in AP classes this year.

    As I was imagining things about my life as an independent adult, I couldn’t picture it without soccer. It has provided for me an outlet of creativity, to push myself physically and mentally, and fuels my competitive spirit by playing with young women who also share the same goals. Hard work, building trust, and inspiring each other to play for one another. . . those are the things that cultivate greatness, and that is an inspiration to the world. All of these qualities continue to draw me to the game, day in and day out. I highly value the “team” mentality and also realize the importance of our identity and reputation we bear as athletes off the pitch.

    I greatly desire to broaden my horizons, by taking part in the experiences that being a college athlete has to offer. Thank you for taking the time to view my profile, I look forward to hearing from you in the future!

Sincerely,

Audrey Tacey