Personal Statement
I am a class of 2022 student-athlete aspiring to continue competing at the highest levels in college and I am looking for a school that will challenge me both academically and athletically. As an athlete, I began competing as a gymnast at the age of four and I continue to train daily, up to 24 hours per week. I have been a competitive soccer player for over 10 years, playing on club teams and with my high school team. I discovered pole vaulting (which has become my primary focus as an athlete) in February of 2019 and in just a few months of training was able to qualify for the National Championships. I believe this was possible because of my lifelong commitment to training as an all-around gymnast as well as my experience competing as both a gymnast and soccer player. I continued my pole vault training throughout 2019 while also competing as a level 10 all-around gymnast. In preparation for the upcoming 2020 outdoor track season, I participated in the Boston Track Club 2020 Indoor Championships where I set a new personal best. As a student, I continue to enroll in the highest level courses available to me, having had a schedule with all honors classes as a sophomore. I plan on taking 3 AP courses as a Junior and 3 more as a senior.
Like all students and athletes, the pandemic of 2020 placed a roadblock on my path forward. The disruption meant that everything became focused on my ability to self-motivate and drive progress despite being kept at home. I continued to excel in my classwork, going above and beyond what was expected by completing additional projects and assignments. I began to prepare for the ACT tests in June only to have them rescheduled. I continue to prepare and plan on taking the SATs and ACTs in September. For athletics, I set up a personal training regimen at home that combined gymnastics conditioning, pole-vaulting, and hurdling/sprinting drills. One example is my continued progression to develop 6 and 7 step takeoffs for pole vault, which I have been practicing in my driveway using a custom box with casters that I made. I also have been learning to hurdle (something I first tried in 2019), with specific drills and training I put together that have enabled me to now three-step 39 inch hurdles.
In addition to my time spent as a student and an athlete, I have started to become more active in activities in my town. I have helped to set up a community program to pick up litter along our community roadsides and have supported efforts to protect and maintain our local freshwater pond. I have also learned how to build computers both for myself and for friends and family, as well as spending time learning about automotive mechanics while I work on building a car.
I know that I have only just started to tap into my abilities as a pole vaulter and all-around track athlete, setting high goals for myself to achieve over the next two years. I believe my commitment to becoming better as an athlete, student, and community member makes me a valuable addition to a university and its track team.
