Personal Statement
My name is Anya O'Neil. and I am a member of the class of 2022 for Exeter High School I currently live in East Kingston, New Hampshire, but began my lacrosse career in Swampscott, MA where I lived for 12 years. I started playing lacrosse when I was in 5th grade. In 2015 and 2016 I played for the Swampscott/Nahant Youth Girls lacrosse program and then in 2017 and 2018, when my family moved to New Hampshire, I played for the Exeter Girls Youth Lacrosse Program. As I entered high school, I was on the JV Exeter Girls Lacrosse Team my freshmen year and also have been playing for the Seacoast United Houlagans 2022 Club Girls Lacrosse team.
Although my favorite sport, lacrosse is not the only sport I play. Gymnastics was my first competitive sport, having been a competitive gymnast for the past 9 years. Throughout my gymnastics career I had many accomplishments; My freshmen year I was on my high school's Varsity Gymnastics Team and in 2016, I was the Massachusetts State champion on the floor exercise and placed 7th in the All Around Division at my State meet. I also began to play field hockey my sophomore year playing on the JV Field Hockey team for Exeter High School. I had also been an All-Star cheerleader having competed in the National Summit at Disney World in Florida in 2018.
Starting my freshman year, I volunteered as a student coach for my local youth cheer-leading team, the Exeter Seahawks. I was also accepted into the Student Volunteer Program at Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals, and Lahey Outpatient Center Danvers.
Academics is also important to me. I finished my freshman year of high school with High Honor Roll and a 3.77/4 GPA. I pride myself on being able to do well athletically and also academically. My collegiate goals are to be able to go to a college that will prepare me for my future while also being able to play the sport that I love. I would like to major in either Biology or Premed, as I intend to go to Medical school after I graduate from college with the goal of becoming a Pediatric Surgeon.
Throughout my years of playing lacrosse and other sports I have learned immensely from all of my teammates and coaches. Lacrosse especially has taught me the values of hard work and teamwork. The sport has helped me learn how to set goals and achieve them, something I will benefit from throughout my life. I would be extremely grateful for the opportunity to be able to continue to learn and be able to better myself as a player and as a person by being able to play lacrosse beyond high school.