Personal Statement
My name is Aidan Knupsky. I am 2019 infielder and catcher. I am a hard- working player in practice, during games and in the offseason. I am the loudest guy in the dugout and the dirtiest guy on the field. I have a high baseball IQ and I'm always looking to learn more about the game I fell in love with at age 4. I want to study architecture and play competitive baseball at the collegiate level.
I work each day to develop some part of my game, whether it's offense, defense, conditioning or mental maturity. There are many aspects of what I do and learn on the field that carry over into other aspects of my life. This is why it's important to me to not only be the best player I can be, but to also be a leader for my teammates.
For me, being a leader means to be a person that others look to for advice, help, and guidance. I like to think that I am a leader at least when it comes to sports. I was taught to congratulate people on their accomplishments, but also to help support, encourage them when they “fail.” Playing sports is about learning from failure and moving on to try again. One day I would like to coach my own team as participation in sports has formed some of my best memories. I want someday to give those opportunities to others.
I believe helping others is what you are supposed to do. I believe you should treat others as you would like to be treated. Being a leader means picking people up, doing things to help even if when you don’t feel like it, and being a person people look to for help. I have grown up playing sports in an urban setting and have come to believe that it is unfair to judge anybody based on their color, the way they dress, or where they live. People should be accepted for themselves. Even if you do not agree with someone’s view of things, you need to respect them because you don’t always know what they’ve been through or what has happened to them. A leader is able to understand others, and respect their contributions.
By coaching younger baseball players, I have found a way to pay forward the blessings I have received. I work regularly with a 7-year-old who is as passionate about the game as I am. I enjoy working with him to develop the different aspects of his game. My favorite part of the experience is seeing him develop, achieve and feel good about himself. It is a very humbling thing to be someone's role model at my age. It's also a great responsibility. I have been fortunate to have great role models in my life, on and off the field, and am happy to be able to make a difference for others.