Personal Statement
I started playing football when I was in the 6th grade. I started out wanting to be a quarterback. I was tall and thought I fit the bill. I quickly learned being a qb was not my calling. My coaches tried me out as a receiver and safety. I spent more time on the sidelines then in the game. By my 7th grade year, I was struggling to find my place on the team. There were already established starters. A few games into the season, I realized that our team did not have an established kicker. I told the coach I wanted to try, even though I had no experience. The first kick in practice impressed the coach so much that he called the local university football coach to ask if their kicker could come to our practices and teach me the correct form. By the next game, I was ready and kicked the first point after of my career. I had finally found my calling.
My parents were active duty Air Force members, so we moved every few years. The summer before my freshman year, we moved to North Dakota. I was the new kid that no one knew. I talked to my new coaches and told them I was a kicker. Fortunate for me, they did not have one. Unfortunate for me, they had no plays that incorporated kicking. I was only utilized for kickoffs. I did not let this discourage me. I kept kicking in practice and kept getting longer distances. By my sophomore year, I had proven myself and they rewrote the playbook to include PATs and field goals. My parents are now retired and we have moved for the last time to Panama City, FL. I now play for the Bay High Tornadoes. The year 2020 has been unique and the football program had to adjust to new restrictions, which has meant less games than normal. As we like to say, "Our team has faced many challenges but we are weathering the storm, so bring the rain."
Through my parents and being a part of the AFJROTC, I have learned the value of teamwork, commitment, sacrifice, and leadership. I'm looking for a program that will be a good fit for me athletically as well as academically. I believe I not only have the talent to compete for a college team, but the character, work-ethic, and leadership skills to make an immediate impact on your program.
