This article was written by Amber Bhutta, class of 2019.
Both literally and figuratively ahead of the game, sophomore varsity soccer player Chloe Laureano has fulfilled the dream of many high school students and committed to attend Yale University. After considering many schools, including Harvard, Dartmouth, US Naval Academy, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Rochester, Laureano finally made the decision to commit to Yale’s class of 2023 and its soccer team.
Laureano’s commitment to Yale stems from roots firmly planted in her childhood as she began playing soccer when she was 4 years old.
“My dad introduced me to the game,” she said, “He is a huge soccer fan, and during the summer of 2006, World Cup matches were the only television we were allowed to watch in our house.”
Match after match, Laureano was enthralled with players such as Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo, jumping on every opportunity to play and learn every move they made. Laureano soon found she wanted more out of the game and began to play travel soccer, joining the Sunrise Sting club team in addition to playing at school. She practices with her club team three to four times a week and, during the high school season from October to February, practices and plays four to five times a week. After years on end of practice and playing, she found herself playing in national college showcases in 2015 and 2016, and eventually being scouted by the Yale coaching staff.
“The Yale coach reached out to my club coach and after a few telephone conferences I decided to visit the Yale campus,” Laureano said.
Upon her visit, she found she enjoyed the rich history, historic architecture and residential college system. She also met with the coaching staff who expressed interest in her collegiate soccer career and made an offer. However, Laureano, weighing all of her options, did not immediately accept it.
“I was torn between UPenn and Yale,” she said, “But in the end, it was the people at Yale that sold it. They made me feel welcomed and at home.”
Finally committing felt like a sigh of relief to Laureano.
“I have always dreamed of playing collegiate soccer, but I feel like I have now made a life decision,” she said, “The academic rigor of Yale combined with being able to play soccer at the highest level made it the best fit for me. I’m so excited for the future.”
