Charles Coleman '12 Recruiting Profile

My name is Charles Coleman, I am 5’11, a member of the James Madison High School track team. I am comfortable running 800M, 400 M, 200M and also relays of 4*800 and 4*400.  Not only am I an athlete, striving for constant improvement in the 800 and 400 meter runs, I hold a strong belief in camaraderie and good sportsmanship.  Upon being accepted at a college my goal, amongst all others, is to join a track team and deliver my all for the success and furthering of the team.  I will attend and graduate from college.  I will make a major contribution to my track team, and I will someday possess a degree in a field affiliated to law.

I want to go to college to become the man that I know I can be.  I also want to go to college to become the hero my mother, my grandmother and everyone else in my family is expecting me to be.  I do not want my only hope for a better life to come from a lottery ticket or a scratch off.  I do not want what others have, new sneakers, new jeans or a new chain.  I want more.  I want an education, stability, an opportunity to become a leader, and a respected member of society.   I want to defy the stereotypes and become a successful black man.  I do not want to be like all the others who will never leave the corners they grew up on - and may die on.  I know what my family, my teachers and my coaches expect from me and I know what I expect from myself.  The only way to achieve these goals is through the college education I am striving to get. Coming from a single parent home my mother will of course need financial aid to help me achieve my goals.

There is not a day that goes by that my mom does not have to worry about my safety.  I was always told how much harder my life would be because I was a black male.  I was told that when I was born I already had a disadvantage compared to the rest of society.  I could not grow up with optimism about my future.  Struggle was instilled in me before I even had a chance to learn the definition of the word.  I was made to believe my life would be one of pain and fight.

When I was younger I could never understand why the children on television laughed and dreamed and were so happy. As a child I could never understand why it was so easy for people to judge me before I could say hello.  I did not understand why so many people avoided eye contact with me.  Why every smile seemed forced, and every handshake rushed.  I used to wonder why I was born the way I was.  I wondered why no one but my mother saw success in my future.  I did not understand why I was labeled violent, ignorant, and uneducated before I could take my first breath.  As I grew older I began to see more.  I saw the prejudice and the stereotypes.  It became evident that I was expected to be “just” a product of my environment like so many others. 

I knew that I could not fall into the path that was laid before but instead I had to take the road less traveled.  I made the decision only one other person in my family had made.  My decision was to escape poverty.  I understood the only way for me to escape poverty was to get an education, and now a higher education.  There are still times I think I will not make it.  It scares me to think of what the future might hold for me because of the mistakes I have already made.  My own laziness has made it extra hard for me in school.  With that realization I have been working extra hard to repair my mistakes.  I know I have to work hard for myself, my family and my future.  Being the only boy in my family I sometimes feel it is my duty to save everyone.  I feel if I do not make it we will be forever trapped in a neighborhood where danger is always visible by street corner candle memorials, and graffiti epitaphs on the walls in honor of those that “died too young”.  I want to be memorialized on college boards, and by trophies in college showcases.  I want to share in reunions with my college brothers and sisters, and track team mates.  

This is my personal statement and I hope I have given you enough reason to consider me to be a part of your team.  Even I have reason to smile now, because so many people did not believe I could make it.  I made it with the help of my TEAM!

Thank you for your time and interest.

Charles Coleman