For senior Jakob Seidlitz, coming into balance in various aspects of his life have been crucial. The balance between soccer and academics has always been at the forefront for the Washington, D.C., native, personifying the values of the term student athlete.

That balance between “competitive soccer” and “rigorous academics” was what drew him to UR in the first place, and that balance has been what has kept him engaged ever since. For Seidlitz, a brain and cognitive science major, both components of his day are necessary. His mastery of this is why he is one of 10 student athletes honored with the Lysle “Spike” Garnish award this year for excellence in the classroom as well as on the playing field.

“I continued with soccer after grade school, because I was good at it and then I realized how much fun it is,” Seidlitz recalls. “And as I got older, the competition aspect of the game allowed me to have an outlet of positive stress relief.”

His work classroom, meanwhile, has helped him hone his interests and manage his time. “The biggest academic challenge I have to face is to be able to keep up with each class,” he explains. “I know that I have only certain windows to do my schoolwork which means I actually have to get it done during that time. Actually doing the work on time and motivating myself to do it has definitely been a challenge at times, but I think I have developed a good system to keep myself on track.”

The system certainly seems to be working. On the field, the senior midfielder played consistently on the pitch since he was a freshman. Sophomore year, he played in all 15 games and started six. Last year, Seidlitz repeatedly rose to the occasion, earning Defensive MVP honors at the Flower City Classic and All-UAA 2^nd Team status at the culmination of the season. Repeatedly, Seidlitz showed his ability to rise to the top when his team needs him most, testaments to his preparation and commitment.

 “The most challenging part is being consistently at your best both mentally and physically. Getting into good habits with nutrition, sleep and studying coupled with time management help me stay on track with being able to focus on soccer during practice and games,” he explains.

Off the field, this is undoubtedly a challenge as well. But the senior appears to have this under control. Perhaps he's taken a cue from some professional soccer players he admires, who have taken their talents on the field and used them to raise awareness, as with Thierry Henry, or better efforts off the field.

This past year, Seidlitz was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team at the culmination of the season. And he's managed to both excel in his BCS classes while also taking on extra responsibility by doing research in the musculoskeletal department at Strong. He also has spent two summers working at the Naval Medical Research Center looking into possible oxygen and adjuvant therapeutic combinations to treat traumatic brain injury during combat, an experience that taught him a lot.

“I was able to gain experience with specific surgical procedures, data management, and new scientific techniques,” explains Seidlitz.

The myriad of experience is also what drew Seidlitz to the field of Brain and Cognitive Science in the first place. “I like the balance between neuroscience and psychology as well as the freedom to choose a pathway of study as I went along,” Seidlitz explains. “The beginning core courses gave me a general overview of the brain and tastes from different areas of research, which helped me form a more pointed course of study later on.”

What lies ahead is still a mystery for Seidlitz – unsure of what direction he wants to go in after graduation, he plans to apply to graduate schools, as well as fellowships and gap year programs. But while Seidlitz may trouble deciding on his next course of action, no doubt he will be well prepared and balanced where ever he ends up.