I've grown up watching college sports as many children do. However, they've always meant a little something more to me. I can see the work that the athletes have put in all their lives to reach where they are. I know athletics are in no way easy. It takes a certain kind of person, someone who's dedication is unparalleled, to succeed in the world of athletics. I believe that it is that character and determination that makes a successful athlete. This character is what makes athletes stand out, and I know I have it. I know I'm not the best at my sport, but why shouldn't I strive to be? Hard work and self-improvement are things that are exceedingly important in anything you do, possibly the most important, and without them, skill is nothing. That is the philosophy that I apply to everything in my life, that you can always make yourself better if you try hard enough. When this is applied to academics, relationships, and causes to be worked for, virtually nothing can stop you. That is what is driving me.