Participating in athletics gives me an edge. As an athlete, I have learned to
interact with many different types of people, work together, and win. Striving
for excellence teaches you about your capabilities and how, with practice they
can expand. Athletics is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
Participating in athletics has offered me many opportunities to make friends,
assume a leadership role, and take on responsibilities. Playing sports with a
variety of personalities has enabled me to become a more mature and well-rounded
person. Without sports, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Joe Paterno said, “The
will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.” Because an
athlete has to practice every day in order to prepare, it becomes apparent that
you do not have all the time in the world to accomplish every day tasks. With so
much going on in an athlete’s life, it is essential to prioritize.
Participation in athletics has helped me learn to do just that. By keeping an
organized schedule of my responsibilities, and using my time well, I have been
able to show my teammates that it is possible to accomplish what needs to be
done. On and off the court/field, people look up to me for advice. Being able to
help my teammates is a great feeling. Just knowing that others see how hard you
work to get things done in your own life makes the world of difference in how
you feel about yourself. Despite the number of hours I have dedicated to sports,
I have been able to maintain a B average. I have learned that if something is
important to you, you can accomplish whatever you need to. My participation in
athletics has made all the difference in the world to me. Athletics plays a key
role in many student-athletes lives. Athletic participation has given me
tremendous energy and has made me feel good about myself. It has made a
difference in my life, and I am sure in many other lives, too.