- 2015 Highlights
Personal Statement
When you begin a journey, you can’t see how all the factors will play out in the end. I had always valued the importance of hard work and studying, consistently staying motivated to be among the best academically. Little did I know the important role that lacrosse would play in my life as a young girl buying my first stick, trying out the sport just because I could. Since age 12, the importance of lacrosse has gradually helped shape me into the person I am today.
Freshman year, I worked out and trained every day throughout the winter because I wanted to make the varsity team in the upcoming spring season. Knowing there would be very few open slots, I had to prioritize all my activities which often meant sacrificing free time for lacrosse training, so I would stand out in tryouts. The sacrifice paid off. I was one of two freshmen to make my high school lacrosse varsity team in 2013.
As a student athlete viewing the bigger picture, I have learned lessons about life and people through subtle metaphors in the game of lacrosse. Each position on the field represents different aspects in the broader spectrum of life. On defense, you must collaborate with your fellow teammates in order to protect the same goal. Match your opponents speed and anticipate their next move. If you can stay ahead of them, you can change the direction of the ball, and put your team back on the offensive. As a certified lifeguard in the summer months, it’s my job to anticipate problems and change their direction before they become a danger.
On attack, you must have the drive and motivation to get to your goal. You may face obstacles that threaten to stop your progress. It’s critical to know when to drive through and when to pass it off. Same goes for when a teammate needs help, or when you can create an opportunity for them through a pick or an outlet pass. Even off the field, I have grown closer with my teammates because we know when the other is in trouble. In the end, all the efforts put toward the goal pay off. During the off season, I focused on strength training and ran on the cross country team to make sure I was faster and stronger for the 2015 season after a tough loss in the 2014 playoff game. In our opening game, I produced eight goals and 3 assists in the team’s 18-6 victory. In all the games this season, I am consistently among the top in goals and assists while also being recognized as an unselfish player and a leader on the field.
On midfield, it’s all about transition. You learn how to balance the two positions and quickly change direction. With any position, it’s important to recognize your limits. You may be exhausted and debate to continue or pull yourself out to recharge. You maximize your strengths and those of the team. You recognize weaknesses, compensate on the field, and improve on them in practice… all the while communicating, verbalizing, pointing, demonstrating, and executing. Whether it’s taking the draw or scrambling after, I try to be ready for anything. Along with accurate passing, I find a big contribution of mine on the field is to communicate before, during, and after whistles.
I think my role as communicator was a key element in the honor of my coach specifically requesting me to assist with the Birmingham Middle School Lacrosse team. As assistant coach, I have learned not only to share my skills, but also how to be patient and balance my busy schedule as a student, a teammate, a coach, and a friend. I manage the transition from player to coach and back during the day. Being busy is a challenge, but it has helped my life transition skills of defense and offense, organization and prioritization. Even though I have more activities than last year, my academics continue to be among the best in my honors and AP courses, and my performance on the field continues to be strong as one of the team’s leaders in goals and assists.
My journey is far from over. Choosing a major, selecting a college, and preparing to play at the college level require a focused effort of my defensive, offensive and midfield skills. I look forward to providing both my lacrosse and life skills to the team who selects me to help them achieve their goals, and selecting the college that helps me meet mine.
