Personal Statement
I remember it was my second year of playing travel soccer at U10 and right before every game the coach would say I need two volunteers for the goal. My hand would be the first to go up and I would look around the circle hoping to see no one else would volunteer. No one else ever did. I would go in the goal and play the entire game. My teammates would ask how on earth do you like playing in the goal the whole game? I would respond by saying I want to be in the game, I never want to come out and since no one else on this team ever wants to be in goal I know I will get to play the whole game. What started out as merely a strategy for me to never get subbed out became my GK training ground. It was difficult at first but I trained and worked hard to learn the nuances of being a good keeper. I know I have much more to learn but I enjoy every second of walking on to the pitch and leading my team. There is nothing else I would rather do. I am a calm and even tempered keeper, I work closely with my defense and do my best to ease the pressure off of them. My defenders know that I will not call them out and that is why they often work harder than if I shamed or blamed them for their mistakes. While many consider the GK as a lonely post on the pitch, I think of it as an anchor that can add stability and control when there is chaos and confusion. I want my teammates to know that they can depend on me and I want them to know that even if they make mistakes I am there to assist them and support them. These are the qualities and characteristics I will carry with me to college and I believe these traits are critical components of building a unified and cohesive team, a team that will work hard together and win championships together.
