Personal Statement
Dear Coach:
My collegiate goals and aspirations are to attend a great university that has a reputable basketball and science program. I would like to go to a college that has a strong family atmosphere in their basketball program that is built upon trust between the coaching staff and the players.
I am a good candidate for your program because I believe in hard work, being competitive, and doing things in excellence. I work hard on both the basketball court and in the classroom. Also, I am a good teammate. I believe teams are strongest when they work together to win games, have great chemistry, and the players support one another. I also acknowledge this means that I must impact the game on an individual level. I do this by playing hard on both the offensive and defensive end. Recently, Prep Girls Hoops highlighted this in a review they wrote. It stated, “ An elite shooter with a quick and smooth release. Bailey is an attacking shooting guard who can score at all three levels. She can create off the bounce attacking the rim with either hand and finishes at a high level. Her ability to space on the perimeter and quick release, adds that long-range threat teams need. She is crafty with her moves to the basket and finishes through contact.” There are also other reviews I can share that have very similar evaluations. This shows the consistency I have demonstrated in my game. On the defensive end, I believe in doing the dirty work. Don’t let your man get by you, get through the screen, block out and rebound, get on the floor for those loose balls. Whatever, I can do to keep my opponent from scoring and being competitive on both ends of the court.
I am different from other recruits in character, athletics, and academics as follows:
Character: Cooperative and Competitive- Basketball is a team sport. This means many different things, but very simply, players must be coachable and work together. It is important to me to keep the best interest of the team in mind. This is why I work on my passing game, and facilitating just as much as my shot. I not only want to score, but also help my teammates to score. This increases the probability that we will win.
Athletics: I am a hard worker. I have two different trainers who I work with multiple times each week. One trainer works with me on my dribbling skills, and attacking the rim to get to the basket with multiple finishes. My other trainer helps me with my basketball acumen, foundational skills, and my shot. I also go to the gym on my own to get shoots up and continue to work on my game. I have been called a gym rat, but to me that is a compliment.
Academics: I understand that I am a student athlete and the word student purposefully comes first. I have maintained a 3.63 grade point average in spite of a very difficult year with the pandemic and virtually learning. This past year has been very difficult for many students. Although it was a struggle, I knew I had to be organized, and make adjustments if I was going to do well in both school and basketball. This means finding time to study and complete my homework between basketball practice, training sessions, traveling to games during AAU season, and other responsibilities. I believe this has prepared me for sports at the collegiate level. Also, my older sister plays college basketball and she often shares with me the importance of balancing your school work and basketball. She is a great support I have which helps me to be successful.
In short, I have shared some of my goals, aspirations, and what makes me different from other recruits. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss more of my experience with you.
Sincerely,
Bailey Burns