DALLAS (SMU) - Despite making an immediate impact on the field for the No. 4-ranked SMU Men's Soccer team, freshman midfielder Jaylinn Mitchell's life has been in a constant state of change since coming to the Hilltop in July.
 
College classes? Those are tough.
 
Living halfway across the country from his family in La Mirada, California? That's new.
 
His mom being pregnant? That one was a bit of a shocker. His younger sister, Brooklyn, is 15, so there will be a large age gap between him and his soon-to-be youngest sibling arriving in December. But don't get it twisted - Mitchell is excited to meet the little tyke when he goes home for Christmas!
 
The one constant for Mitchell over the past six months has been soccer.
 
Like many of his teammates at SMU, Mitchell's life has largely revolved around soccer. Growing up, he spent the majority of his free time practicing and competing with Slammers FC, a local youth soccer club widely acclaimed for its development of future collegiate soccer players.
 
While playing on Slammers FC's Elite Club National League (ECNL) teams certainly helped Mitchell gain attention from recruiters, it was his junior year where something clicked.
 
Mitchell knew he was good, but he understood that to get recruited by a Division I program, he would need to associate star power with his name. Beginning when he was 17, he competed in Slammers FC's college showcases, which invited college recruiters to watch players practice drills and pitch themselves as prospective athletes for their program. Mitchell also blasted emails to college personnel all across the nation to ensure that he wasn't placing all of his eggs in one basket.
 
One of those teams was SMU. And once communication became consistent, it didn't take long for him to fall in love with the program.
 
"I didn't really know too much about SMU until I really started talking to them," Mitchell said. "But after my official visit, I really liked it. I committed a month after my trip."
 
During his visit, Mitchell appreciated the top-notch facilities and that the coaching staff was personable and genuinely cared for him as a whole person. But more importantly, he could see himself both on the campus and on the team. Not only did he feel like he could fit in with the general student body and the soccer team, but that he could play his style of soccer as a Mustang.
 
SMU soccer prides itself on playing soccer the way that Mitchell believes that it should be played: technically savvy with an emphasis on passing well and winning the time of possession battle. Because Mitchell is "not the biggest player," he grew up dominating the midfield by playing with forged skill and finesse.
 
"Our whole principle is to keep the ball for as long as we can (and) not to force anything," Mitchell said. "When an opportunity comes up, take it, and when it's not, don't force it. That's one of the things I love."
 
As Mitchell has become situated in Dallas, he has bonded with his teammates through training, playing FIFA (he says Enzo Panozzo is probably the best, while Brendan Baird might need some practice on the sticks...) and exploring food spots around town.
 
Despite growing up eating authentic Mexican food, often cooked by his grandmother who was the first in her family to come to the United States, he loves many of the Tex-Mex restaurants around town. Mi Cocina is a favorite to hit up with the boys, but if he goes elsewhere, he loves a plain carne asada taco with cilantro.
 
"I'm kind of a picky eater!" Mitchell chuckled.
 
Aside from exploring more restaurants in Dallas, Mitchell looks forward to competing in the AAC Tournament, and hopefully, a national championship. As a freshman, his athleticism and soccer IQ has translated into significant play time, including a handful of starts and a goal on the season. He only continues to get stronger, faster and more skilled on the ball.
 
He hopes that his personal development and the team's overall chemistry and work ethic will translate into a ring.
 
"SMU was ranked top 25 coming into the season. I knew we would be ranked and I knew we would play well," Mitchell said. "But we've been in the top five in the nation for the past four weeks. We're so close to winning a ring and winning conference."
 
Regardless of what happens this season, Mitchell can look forward to coming home to his grandmother's podelo soup (which he heavily prefers with chicken instead of steak), meeting his new sibling and opening up Christmas presents at the stroke of midnight. The last time he saw any of his family was when his grandma and sister came down for a home game earlier this season.
 
"It was nice seeing them after the game, especially because there is a little section to meet with the people who come to your games," Mitchell said. "It was great seeing them. My mom can't travel anymore, so I am definitely looking forward to going home and seeing everyone."