- 2014 First 4 Games
Personal Statement
My three primary goals are to enter a 4-year college/university, play football at the collegiate level and receive a degree in the field of biology. In order to achieve these goals, I must exercise perseverance and commitment. I am confident that I will achieve all of my goals, because I am no stranger to these values.
When I was younger, football did not come easy to me. I was exceptionally tall and heavy for a kid of my age. As a result, growing up, I always played with an older group of kids. The odds were always against me. I was playing with kids who were faster, stronger and more experienced than myself. However, my parents always taught me that if you want something bad enough, and you work hard to get it, life would reward you. My father always told me, “hard work and persistence trumps talent every time”. So at an early age, I committed myself to being the hardest worker, on the field and in the classroom. I knew that with enough time, training and commitment, I would eventually surpass my peers, on and off the field.
I am a scholar athlete. I believe in having a sports/education balance. I am the only varsity athlete in my school who is also a member of our prestigious Math and Science Academy. I am a 4 time football 'Scholar Athlete Award' recipient and a two time track and field 'Scholar Athlete Award' recipient. The discipline, teamwork and dedication I have learned on the field have helped me in the classroom. Additionally, the perseverance, integrity and good character that I exhibit in the classroom has made me a leader on the field. This is what makes me different than my peers. I lead by example. It is easy to catch a ball, but it is difficult to catch a ball with integrity, good character, good grades and a dedication to one’s craft.
Even to this day, football does not come easy. I have some of the same challenges that I had growing up. There are still some talented athletes out there who are better than me at some things. However, hard work, discipline and faith have made me great at most things.
