- 2019 Highlights
Personal Statement
My name is Gavin Hamm and I am rising Senior at Yarmouth High School in Yarmouth, ME. I am searching for the right college experience, that will allow me to continue pursuing my dream of playing lacrosse at the collegiate level while providing a high-quality academic experience that will help me to achieve success in my field of study after graduation. Focus, hard work and dedication are all attributes I apply both on and off the field of play.
My passion for lacrosse developed back in 5th Grade after watching the movie Crooked Arrows. At the time, I was living in a small town that absolutely loved and rallied around baseball and did not have any youth lacrosse programs. I had never watched a lacrosse game or had picked up a stick. But this movie lit a fire in me and changed the course of my athletic future. My parents contacted other communities and I fortunately was allowed to join another booster program in a town around 40 minutes away. I quickly dropped the baseball bat and traded it in for lacrosse stick and started teaching myself to play. As an 11-year old, it felt like a big risk at the time. Leaving behind a sport I was good at, leaving a group of friends that I had played baseball with for years, to venture into a new sport with all new faces. I was also lucky to get teamed up with a coach that welcomed an “outsider” to his field, saw my potential and gave me every opportunity to grow and expand my skills. I was an unknown 11-year old that had to work extra hard to earn the respect of my teammates. Through hard work and perseverance, I was able to do just that.
I continued playing for other communities over the next 3 years until my hometown formed its first booster level lacrosse team my 8th grade year. This first year program ended up going undefeated that season, while I personally contributed over 65 goals, having both the highest goals and assists for the team. This experience taught me the value of going after something you deeply desire and the value of working hard to better yourself and the quality of the team.
My freshman year, my family moved to Yarmouth, Maine, in pursuit of a higher-quality education. This high school has consistently been ranked as the #1 school in Maine and provides a rigorous academic environment. Through a transition of establishing a new peer group in a new community, I have achieved a 4.0 GPA, taking both Honor and AP level courses, while continuing my quest for athletic excellence. I have played on multiple Club and Varsity sports teams, with a focus on making myself stronger, better and faster and giving my all to help the team’s success. But, over the years, my love for lacrosse has just continued to grow and I find finishing my Junior year with a high degree of desire and motivation to keep contributing to my future team’s successes. And, to cap off my Junior LAX season with the Class B State Championship title was especially rewarding!
I will bring a high level of competitiveness, a positive attitude, dedication and a passion for excellence to a collegiate lacrosse program. Being a highly successful student-athlete has been and will continue to be my main goals as I move forward into the next phase of my life.
