- 2021 Highlights
Personal Statement
Hi, my name is Hanna and I am 17 years old. I enjoy being active and I am a soccer player.
Soccer has been a part of my life since I can remember. Over the years, growing up I always stayed active with my family. This helped me to build a solid foundation for all athletics I have and will participate in, especially soccer.
Elementary school was when I started getting more serious about playing. In third grade my mom signed me up to play for a local club team. From then on it was non-stop playing games every weekend, practicing three times a week and traveling all over Florida. At the same time, I was learning the importance of team bonding. Having that club soccer experience at such a young age was so critical for me as an athlete. Teaching me discipline, motivation, and dedication which I will continue to use throughout my whole soccer career and my life as well.
As a player, I contributed and learned a lot more than I realized. My dad was my coach when I played recreation soccer. Being the coach's daughter helped me to learn sometimes I had to sacrifice my own playing time so others could have their turn. Or being the guinea pig in drills to help my dad coach.
As I got older, I continued using those same leadership skills. My coach chose me to be the captain of the junior varsity squad my freshmen year and I continued on to be co-captain of the varsity squad. My contributions include a lot more than just a leadership position. Making it a habit to show up on time and be prepared. Having a good attitude and keeping a focused mindset are key contributions I make as well. I maintain good health to make absolute sure I can give it my all, all the time. High school soccer is definitely a whole new world. The variety of girls competing is much broader than club soccer. Ultimately challenging you not just physically but mentally. Going to a small school does not help in that aspect at all. We had few opportunities to play the bigger teams due to our size. This led to many frustrations on the field with the mental part of the game. I got caught up in the negativity of those around me. But at the end of it all, I had to be the one to tell myself I was better than that, which took a while, specifically a red card.
I’ve taken many lessons away from those experiences. The most important lesson I have learned is I would rather lose a match and have played fair and clean than win with a bad attitude and poor sportsmanship. My passion and joy for the game didn’t become apparent to me until I was older. The more I practiced with my team and truly bonded with them, the more improvement I saw with our play. The emotion and passion I have is difficult to put into words, but a lot can be said for working hard, staying committed and completing a common goal. As I move into my college career with academics and soccer, I will go with the idea that soccer is so much more than a sport or a team, it is a tool that helps you become a better you.
