- 2017 Highlights
Personal Statement
Aside from my success in academics, one of the biggest accomplishments I've had in my life occurred this past year. I was selected by my coaches to become Captain of my High School Lacrosse team in my junior year. I was honored to take on this responsibility but also very nervous, not knowing what to expect. I never realized just how much it would teach me regarding accountability (of myself and of my teammates), respect, and discipline.
The full accountability of this role was something I had never experienced before, not only with my coaches, but also with teammates who depended on me. For example, my coaches always needed to know by 3:00 pm every afternoon- before practice which players would not be able to attend on that given day. When a teammate missed practice and did not communicate with me, there would be consequences for missing. As for my teammates, they looked to me for accountability with leading a practice and giving feedback on how to become better at the game.
Respect is something you must earn from your teammates in order to accomplish your goals. I felt there were times this was difficult because there are always those on any team who may not respect you or they feel like they should be the leader. Being in a leadership role, you have to treat all of your peers the same while recognizing the unique strengths each brings to the game. It taught me that you must also be tough at times on your teammates. This can be difficult at times as my teammates are part of my family. I am with them over half of the year. As the saying goes...." tough love is harder on the giver than the receiver".
Being team captain you have to maintain your cool. There were many games where our opponent scored and I had to rally the defense together and ask what happened, where did we go wrong and how were we going to make sure we corrected it. This is an example of when accountability and leadership would come into play because everyone was looking to me to lead.
This role has been a roller coaster ride. It definitely had its highs and lows, but I wouldn’t trade it for a second. Since becoming team captain, I have become more confident in everything I do. My coaches obviously saw something in me that I never noticed. I can’t thank them enough for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to do something I thought I could never do. Because of this role, I have developed skills that will help me be successful in life, well beyond playing the game.
