My name is Sophie Hoeltgen; I attend Barrington High School in Barrington Illinois, and I will be graduating in the spring of 2019. I run cross country and track. As a freshman I ran 17:55 for three miles, and that spring I ran a 5:17 for 1,600 meters indoors and a 2:19 split indoors for the first leg of the 4×800 meter relay, all with three stress fractures. Since then I have missed one indoor track season, two outdoor track seasons, and one cross country season due to hip surgery and related injuries. I have been assured by my doctors that I will be able to come back and be 100% healthy. Now that I am on the mend, I am ready to work harder than ever to achieve my goals this track season. My goals include breaking five minutes for the mile and 2:14 for 800 meters. Outside of running, I am also a dedicated student. I am enrolled in all honors and AP classes, I have a 3.97 unweighted GPA, and a 4.5 weighted GPA. I also earned a 32 on the ACT. Throughout the rest of my high school career I will continue to be a dedicated student-athlete so that I may succeed in both my athletics and academics.

I am a driven person and through the injuries and adversity that I have faced I have learned to persevere and to always believe that I can achieve my dreams if I keep getting back up after I fall. I will be a leader on your team because I will always come to practice with a strong mindset, determined to do my best. I will also bring to your team a team-oriented work ethic. I believe that when one does things for others, one will always have more success then when one does things for oneself. That is what being part of a team is all about, doing things for others. At your university I will be a strong athlete and a strong student. I hope to someday work for the government, and I know that rigorous academics and hard work will help me achieve my goals in life. I will bring a strong work ethic and a mind ready to learn on the track and in the classroom.

My running career is just beginning, and I know that with focus and dedication I will go far. At your university I will be a dedicated teammate and a dedicated student, ready to overcome any challenges that lie ahead! For more information, please email me at sophiehoeltgen2019@gmail.com.