Personal Statement
In college, I want to study science and play with a dedicated water polo team. I want to attend a university or college that helps me develop and find my path, both as a student and as a player. I have academic and athletic goals that are equally important to me. I plan to study either Chemistry or Biology and gain the experience of working in the lab of a supportive academic mentor before I graduate and I want to play collegiate water polo with a good coach and dedicated teammates, who support each other in and out of the pool.
I discovered water polo in the 7th grade and it was the hardest sport I’d ever played. As tough as it was, water polo pulled me back (into the pool!) and committing to this sport was one the smartest things I’ve done. I am a goalie; supporting the team and being the backbone is what I strive for during every game I play. I love my position since I feel I can contribute in multiple ways: I help direct the defense, block shots and can get out to steal the ball when a poor pass is made; I have a strong arm and reliable accuracy with the long pass, so it’s exciting to get the ball to the player in the best position; and since I have strong game awareness, I can often be the eyes for my team when we are on the offense and communicate my perspective to help them gain an advantage. Lifting the spirits of my teammates when things are looking down and always having their backs, is what being a goalie is all about. I want to be part of a team that works hard and plays hard, but always sticks together.
One of our Hawaii players, Aaron Chaney, recently returned to the islands. He announced one of our live-streamed games and I learned that while in college, he would ref 18U games. Maybe one day, that’ll be me. I just know there will always be a place for water polo in my life because it has played such an important role in how I see myself, how I identify who I am and how it helped me to grow as a person.
I want an undergraduate academic environment that will help me prepare myself for graduate studies in Immunology and provide me an opportunity to play competitive water polo with a team of equally dedicated teammates. My middle name is Ahonui, it’s Hawaiian for ‘patience, with enduring perseverance’. It was specially picked for me, and it has always been out there, as a reminder for me, of what I can become.