Personal Statement
I became hooked on the game of football when I first played it when I was in 1st grade. I have played, studied and educated myself on the game ever since. In my early days, I was tagged with the nickname of "Blaster" by my coaches as they said I would "blow up the other teams plays". I was educated early that in order to play football or any sport I must first take care of academic work in the classroom. This is a responsibility I still hold to the highest priority.
Fast forward to my senior year, my goal remains the same, my goal is to have the opportunity to compete in a game that I love and earn a collegiate degree that will allow me to work with athletes who have the same passion moving forward. Further, I want to represent my school, my coaches, my team and myself with integrity and a high level of competitive drive both on and off the field. My goal is to continue to learn the game and position not only myself but help my teammates to accomplish our goals. I believe that my game should fill a role on the team, not be the team and I should help my teammates to reach their goals as much as I work to meet my own. I have been told I have the heart of a lion. When I take the field, I give it all I have until I walk off the field at the end of the game. While winning is important, I also believe in how I prepare and play is equally important. I will represent my school and coaches and the community I play in with the respect they deserve and hopefully in return be looked upon as a person and player who does their best in everything they do, whether it be athletically, in the classroom or helping out in the community.
On the sixth play of the first game of my senior season, I suffered an ACL tear. While this is a setback it is nothing more than an obstacle on the path to the goal I fully intend to achieve. I took Saturday and Sunday off after the injury on Friday night, to allow myself to deal with the letdown and then to get mentally right and returned to the gym for upper body workouts on Monday morning and started Pre-Hab getting my leg ready for the surgery that was to come. I am now post-surgery, the Doctor said the surgery could not have gone any better, ACL was replaced, but there was no damage to any other ligaments, tendons or the meniscus, said I should be able to compete just as strong if not stronger once I finish my rehab. I am back in the gym for routine workouts and rehab three days a week, working towards returning to competitive status. I have every intention of seeing the goal, for I believe anything worth having is worth the effort to achieve it. I offer this here for full disclosure to anyone who reads this. I am temporarily injured, I want you to know that, however I am on the way to recovery, it will be defined in the overall story of my career where I will one day be able to associate and hopefully help an athlete or person who does not have the support group I have to realize, once you get knocked down, its ok to be frustrated, its ok to be disappointed but its not ok to give up. I will be able to show them that injury setbacks are just a temporary delay and a chance for your entire body to heal so that you can come back stronger, better, and more determined than before the injury.
Update: January 28, 2019, I have been released from Doctor and Therapy, Back to achieving my dream. I feel great and ready to get after it.
As stated, my goal is to graduate in the time allowed, do my best to help my team win games and championships, all while gaining an education that will help me help others for the balance of my career.
