Personal Statement
Although academics are my first priority in school, I would not be able to achieve my academic excellence without the athletics in my life. I came into my freshman year as a top varsity runner for cross country and track, but broke my foot mid-season of track. At the time, I did not realize the severity of my inury, so I pushed through my pain. After injuring my foot, I continued to run and push through the pain because I didn't want to let my team down and I had high goals and expectations for myself. I developed severe tendinitis in the same foot after training hard the entire summer before my sophomore year. I ended up losing the majority of my sophomore cross country season. This caused me not only the great physical pain, but also a great deal of emotional pain. However, it was through this struggle that I realized the importance running had in my life, and how much I depend on my team and my coaches. I also realized how important it was for me to remain positive and focused, for not only myself, but also for my teammates that looked up to me. Through my rehabilitation I realized my determination and focus to get to back to where I was and become even better as not only a runner, but also a teammate. I now know that my attitude plays a large role in how I am able to compete and train.