Kendra Sykes '17 Recruiting Profile

Personal Statement
My name is Kendra Sykes and I attend Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford, Pennsylvania. I am currently a Junior and this is my third year playing for my high school team. I intend on playing throughout high school and college. Field hockey has been my passion since the fifth grade. As soon as I placed a stick in my hand and a ball on the ground, something just clicked and I fell in love with the sport. I have tried a lot of sports, but there is just something about field hockey that makes it different from all the rest. Even though I also run track, field hockey is number one. I am fully devoted to it. The sport is just so natural to me. I absolutely love the thrill of that stick in my hand, quickly getting the ball and dribbling it down the field, past the defenders, and finally nailing it into the cage for a goal. The sound of the ball smashing into the back board of the cage is the most satisfying feeling in the world. I have always put my whole entire heart into the game of field hockey. There has been countless hours of work being put into my shot and stick skills. I will keep at it until I get it right. I also learn through all of my mistakes and fix whatever needs to be fixed. These mistakes have helped me grow as a player and made me who I am today. I will continue to grow and get better. I am sure of it. I aspire to receive the opportunity to play at a collegiate level someday. Not only am I dedicated to the sport of field hockey, but to my academics as well. School to me is the most important and matters the most. I take my school work very seriously. I try my hardest and put everything into it. I spend a lot of time studying and preparing myself for the next day in class. Everything I do is 100%, on the field and off the field. I have done many things and gone many places during my field hockey career. This year I have made the Varsity team for my high school. I also play for a club team named Vipers. I have been playing indoor for 3 years now. This past year I went to Festival and the Disney College Showcase in Florida. My club team came in first for our flight. Also, my club team and I qualified for the National Indoor Tournament at Lockhaven University. We then traveled to Richmond , where we took third place for our pool. This new school year, I will be playing for my high school team and club team again. I intend on qualifying for the National Indoor Tournament for my third year in a row and winning league championship for my high school team. I will also be attending Festival and New College Showcase in Florida 2016 this February. My goal is to bring another gold medal home. I feel as though I stand out from most girls my age due to my competitiveness to my aggressiveness, I make for a very dedicated athlete. Speed is definity one of my greatest strengths. I have a strong love for running and it shows on the field. As I said before, I put 100% in everything I do from field hockey to academics. I would say I juggle school and sports very well. I always tell myself my failures only push me to work harder to success. One day I hope my dreams of playing field hockey at a great academic school becomes a reality.