DèAjah Smith '22 Recruiting Profile

I started Track And Field when I was 4 years old. I grew up on the small island of Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands where sport is only done for recreation. I didn’t have a coach for years but I’d often read articles, question my P.E teacher and watch YouTube videos to create my own training plans. My self-determination and persistence made me become the fastest female athlete at 12 years old in my age groups for 3 straight years. I started doing long distance as I was pretty good at it then I branched off to doing a little of everything. Shot put, High jump, long jump, sprints, hurdles, mid distance and cross country. After speaking to a part time coach on another island, he advised me to focus on one thing that I loved and it was sprints. Being a small island girl winning championships was amazing until realization hit me when I started to go to international meets that the little training I was doing each day wasn’t sufficient. After graduating high school achieving all the awards of top female athlete and scholar athlete I decided at the age of 15 that I wanted to go Jamaica to continue my training and education in order to be faster and stronger. The training in Jamaica was more vigorous and difficult then I imagined but I ensured I attended each one so I could improve my times and be a better athlete. I was doing well and getting personal bests in record breaking time until the worst thing that could possibly happen to me occurred, the death of my father. This didn’t stop me from striving for greatness. I decided that I would move to the UK to continue my athletic career and further my education there as I realized they were more serious about the mental health of athletes and I wanted to experience training in a different climate. While there, I spoke to sports psychologists and started training with a local athletics club and attending meets that boosted my self-confidence. I’m a hard worker and I’m resilient against any hardship, I’m coachable and respectful and I’m also a team player. Potential coaches, I’ve had a billion reasons not to be where I am today but there isn’t an inch of giving up in me. It would be an honour to train with and represent your institution if given the chance.