Deidre Gilley '14 Recruiting Profile

              My name is Deidre Gilley and will graduate in the 2014 class of Powell High School, Knoxville, Tennessee. Although my dream is to play goal-keeper in college, my highest priority is excellence in academics. Currently, I have a 3.75 GPA and scored higher than 89% of all sophomores in Tennessee on the P/SAT. This year, I will be taking both the ACT and SAT, and expect to earn marks that will exceed admission requirements for entrance into any college or university. In college, I will major in Special Education, which is also a passion of mine, reflected in that I have volunteered the past five years with special needs children in and out of school.

                My true love is playing goal-keeper at the highest level. Since I was four years old, I have played soccer, developing a focus on the keeper position over the past 5 years. At 5’5” and 110 lbs, my forte is a fearless and aggressive defense of my goal box with speed and quickness only matched by my strength and understanding of the keeper position. For the first two years of high school, I have been on the varsity squad, starting my entire sophomore year. Additionally, I am a three-year starter for the D-1 Club/Travel Team from Soccer Club of Oak Ridge, Krossfire ’96. However, I have learned that a soccer match is truly won by the efforts, sacrifice and hard work performed in practice and training. Therefore, I pursue keeper and strength training 2-3 times per week, plus train on my own to reinforce and enhance my physical attributes that lead to success in the keeper box.

               Integrity and character are foundational to my life. I believe both are reflected not only in the classroom and on the field, but what I am doing when no one is watching. I have and will always hold myself to the highest standards and look forward to representing my team and University with an expectation of excellence.