Many student athletes have the ultimate goal of playing the sport they love after high school ends, but very few are able to turn these dreams into a reality. However, Jillian Drumm (‘21) was able to make her dream come true this past January 5th, when she committed to the women’s Division 1 soccer program at La Salle University.

Soccer has been a lifelong passion of Drumms, ever since the age of two when she first started playing. Since then, Drumm has achieved many accomplishments, playing for both her club team, SJEB Rush, and East’s girl’s varsity soccer team. During her sophomore year, not only did Drumm make first-team all-conference and get nominated for All-South Jersey, but she also won a national championship alongside her club teammates.

Now, Drumm plans to continue working under head coach, Paul Royal, in just two years. For Drumm, La Salle was everything she could have wanted in a school.

“When I visited, the team chemistry was something I was really interested in being a part of,” said Drumm.

Also, La Salle being located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania allows Drumm to remain close to home. Drumm will even be lucky enough to play with some of the girls on her current club team. The proximity has already created a deeper connection with Drumm and the coach.

“I love the coaches,” Drumm said, “They are from around the area and from my club team, so I have already formed a good bond with them.

Although Drumm did not play soccer for East this year, she still believes playing high school soccer contributed her to becoming a better player. While she plays center midfielder for her club team, at high school she played outside back, which is what she got recruited for.

“I got more playing time at outside back, during high school. [This] gave me the opportunity to develop the skill set I need to play that position,” said Drumm.

The recruitment process, although resulting in a good outcome, was not something that came easily.

Drumms sister, Carly Drumm (‘22), said, “[Drumm] had some challenges along the way to get where she is today, but she was dedicated to making her game better through hard work, long hours of practice, and multiple games a week.”

The two years it took to get recruited, which included first getting noticed, then attending camps, and finally talking to coaches, was an extremely difficult process that required determination. Coaches, Bill Shute and John Thompson, aided Drumm while working her way through the commitment process.

Another factor that helped Drumm with the recruitment process was her decision to play DA (development academy) this past year, which prevented her from playing high school soccer.

“DA was definitely the best choice. Coaches got to see me not playing at a high school level, but at a more competitive level,” said Drumm.

While Drumm does enjoy playing at SJEB Rush, she looks forward to playing with a different group of girls, having fun while traveling, and spending a lot of time with her new soccer family.

Alongside all the fun, Drumm said she wants to be “challenged to be the best soccer player [she] can be” and continue to work at a high level.

Committing to La Salle University provided Drumm with another chance to play the sport she loves.

“I’m looking forward to making my forever friends, playing an amazing sport, and being a part of a historic program that I can be proud of,” said Drumm.