Ryley Steggall '22 Recruiting Profile

Throughout my years of running, one statement has always stuck with me: "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." It is something my coach said my freshman year, and something inside me clicked. I'm never going to be the best I can be if I don't work hard. Track, for me, is a very independent sport. I absolutely love being part of a team; the environment, pushing and cheering for each other, the relationships and comradery you are able to build. But in the end, the only person who can make you better is you. 

It used to matter so much to me that I was the fastest on the team, but now I know that it is far more important to be the hardest working person on the team. Everyone has natural talent, it is how you foster that talent and how hard you work, that is how you become better. Someone might be faster than me at some point, but they can never say that they work harder than me. Track has not only taught me how to work hard, but how to maintain a positive attitude, no matter what the situation. It taught me the value of collaboration, communication, and reliability. These skills, and the many more track helped me discover, have set me up for future success in the sport, and in every other area of my life. I know I would be a valuable asset on a collegiate level team, and I would love to have the opportunity to show how much track has helped me develop myself as a person, and how much I could contribute to a team. 

I am looking for a school where I will be able to be both a great student and a great athlete. My education is very important to me, as is my sport, and I would love to be part of an environment where I can find a nice balance between the two. I am very interested in how the mind and the body work, so I plan on majoring in Psychology and/or Health Sciences. I want to continue to be a part of the sports world even after I graduate, and aim to become a Sports Psychologist, helping other athletes learn how their mind and body work and help them become better at their sport.