Julia Kelly '28 Recruiting Profile

Running has been my passion since I ran my first 5k at the age of 8 years old.  The feeling of excitement and nervous energy I felt when I first stepped on to the line was like nothing I had ever experienced.  The second the gun went off I started running and never looked back. Once I crossed the finish line, I knew running was going to be a lifelong passion.

Winning youth cross country nationals in my age group this year in 2023 was the highlight of my middle school career to date. The best part of this experience was how my teammates and I worked together to win first place as a team by sticking to the plan our coach set for us and encouraging each other along the way.

As an athlete I know that everything is not always going to be smooth sailing. The most important thing is how you handle setbacks and pick yourself up to come back even stronger.  I have experienced times like this throughout my running career, but the one of note was during youth cross country nationals in 2022.  I ended up getting really sick the day of the race and had to drop out mid race.  I was left devastated and heartbroken, but I told myself I will not let this defeat me.  I was determined to train even harder and the next year I came back better and stronger than ever to win youth cross country nationals in my age group. Through this experience and many others, I have learned the importance that commitment, teamwork, and leadership play in being successful in sports as well as academics.

My discipline and drive from cross-country and track coincide with my academic drive as well.  My goal for high school and college is to maintain or exceed my current 4.0 GPA.  As a multi-sport student athlete, I understand the importance of time management and I have a strong ability to balance my academics and athletics.  I am also a member of the junior national honors society, student council, as well as a volunteer assistant coach for CYO track and cross-country.

I strongly believe I would be an ideal student athlete that could immediately make a strong impact on the success of any cross country and track program. I truly believe a strong leader should lead by example, and that is why I always give every school assignment, practice, and race 110%.  I am a dedicated, driven individual with a strong mental grit that wants to succeed in everything I do.