- 2019 Highlights
Personal Statement
Dear Coach,
Growing up in the Netherlands, I learned to swim at an early age. I had water polo genes in my blood from the start with a grandpa who played on the Dutch national water polo team and was a National Champion. Water polo came naturally to me.
My family relocated to Gig Harbor, Washington when I was 5 years old. I took the opportunity to first play water polo at a local club. Then in high school, I made varsity my first year in both water polo and swimming.
Recently I had the unique opportunity to travel back to the Netherlands and live there for almost half a year. Living in a different culture and not speaking the language, playing water polo made me aware that communication and team spirit don’t always need a common language. Having respect for others, hard work, and acting as a team player breaks through any cultural barrier that may exist. Traveling worldwide made me even more aware of the differences between people from different cultures. Treating people with respect for their beliefs is the universal language that brings people together, whether it is in a water polo team or in life.
My experience in the Netherlands truly made me understand what it means to be part of a team. Also, I am proud to say that I was one of the top earners for my team in a recent fundraiser. The money we raised allowed us to get better equipment, participate in more water polo competitions, and really helped us grow as a team.
My dream is to play water polo at a college that has my academic major. I want to contribute to society in a meaningful way once I graduate college. My goal is to help amputees by developing highly functioning prosthetic limbs through a combination of engineering and medical education.
I hope you will support me in living out my dream at your college. I look forward to discussing this opportunity with you!
Respectfully,
Nicholas Owen Adrian
