Personal Statement
I spent the first fifteen years of my life in Jackson, Tennessee, which might be one of the few cities in the state that operates like a small southern town. Everyone knew me and my parents, and because of who my parents are, people had expectations of me and who I was going to be. I was expected to be respectful, to work hard, and to act with discipline and integrity, and I wanted to fulfill those expectations. I am an only child so I did not have a sibling to compete with growing up, so I had to take the initiative to find others with whom I could play, compete and practice. When I was eight years, old I joined a flag football team and loved the team atmosphere as the teammates were my brothers and my best friends. In eight grade, I really found interest in football and decided to pursue playing at the next level. When I saw some of the older guys I looked up to being successful long snapping, I decided I wanted to try this too. The follow through and some of the motion is similar to shooting a basketball which I have played since I was four.
In the fall of my ninth grade year, I chose The Baylor School, one of the top preparatory schools in the country, for high school. Since Baylor is four hours from my hometown, I am a boarding student. I was suddenly playing in the top division in my state, and my coaches had a new level of expectations. I had to learn to take football more seriously in a way that makes being on the team feel more like a job where I have key responsibilities and I take pride in every repetition. The new expectations in football weren’t the only major adjustment. I also had a difficult transition academically, with a heavier and more intense work load, but also without the structure of coming home to my parents as I had to learn to do it on my own. After a rough start, I figured out how to manage my time in order to balance my study schedule and athletic schedule along with adjusting to living in the dorm environment. Coming to boarding school has increased my maturity and readiness for life on my own. Now my goal is to graduate high school having reached my academic potential then go to college to study business and finance along with long snapping. I have learned that in sports and the rest of my life I am competitive, don’t like losing and that I finish what I start. I have also learned that a team collectively can accomplish far more than anyone can individually.
