Steven Schouten '17 Recruiting Profile

Since a young age I have known that it is a goal of mine to get into college, with or without athletics. My ultimate goal is to be enrolled into a prestigious FBS or FCS university known for academic excellence and be able to play for their football program, as well. As a seventh grader I became familiar with collegeboards.com and would see what GPA and SAT scores it would take to get into universities that grabbed my attention. In high school I have taken honors classes and advanced placement courses. I take my studies seriously and will show up early to school and get help from my teachers when I need help with a certain topic or lesson. I understand that less than 1% of college athletes become professional in their sports and that the reason for going to college is to receive a degree and use that degree to the fullest extent.  

I believe I possess the character traits that are required to succeed at the next level. I am respectful, take my work seriously, show up on time, put in the extra hours and pay close attention to detail. I am always looking for ways to better myself and will pump acquaintances for information that I think can help me. When it comes to sports, I am constantly watching video of camps, athletes, and training clips to find certain subtleties that can help boost my performance on the field. During the season I constantly watch film and keep a binder full of notes from each opponent we have faced regarding what they like to do in certain situations and what specific players I need to look out for. I think of myself as a utility player and have played almost every position throughout my football career. I push myself in every workout and practice because I enjoy the challenge of proving my abilities. I also receive constructive criticism very well and take it as a way to get better, rather than a personal jab.

I consider myself a leader on and off the field and have been team captain on almost all of my teams since third grade. I lead by example and try push people to their limits. I try to analyze my teammates and synthesize different personalities to try to reach the common goal of the team, which is to win. 

Overall, I believe that I have what it takes regarding athletics/academics to become a successful student-athlete at the next level. I understand that in order to achieve my goals that I must put in the hard work and although I might not see results quickly, it will pay off in the long run.