Personal Statement : High School Sports

Thesis: College athletes deserve be paid because they invest a lot of time, work and take significant risks but do not receive enough of the money they generate for the NCAA and schools.

I chose to play another year of recreational soccer, making sure to come back the next year to prove a point that I can put in the work and give myself the best opportunity to make the top team. Everyday after school, I would head to the fields and practice every aspect of my game. I would arrive an hour early to every practice, and I would leave an hour after practice. Day in and day out, I worked diligently on my fitness. For a year, I stopped at nothing to give myself the best chance I could to reach my goal. Motivated after that dissapointing tryout, nothing could stop me from doing my best. Standing on a different field, one year later, tryouts began. I was determine to produce my best performance. Two hours later, every player stood single file. Coincidentally, I was the first person called up; the coach informed me that I made the top team. However, this team played for a different club than the one I tried out for last year. This team competed at a much higher level. Not only did I make the team, but I gained the knowledge and appreciation for hard work and dedication. People rarely receive everything they want; however, they can always put in their best effort to provide themselves the best opportunity at obtaining what they

When I was younger, basketball was all I wanted to play, it just looked like so much fun. In fifth grade I had my parents sign me up for CYB, then in sixth grade I tried out for middle school basketball and played all the way up until ninth grade. In middle school when I was in eighth grade I was awarded the captain position and that helped me build leadership and responsibility. All of the players especially the younger ones knew they could always come to me at any time if they needed anything or help with anything. High school basketball was a lot different than middle school. In middle school I was one of the star players so I played a lot but in high school that changed. I sat the bench a lot that taught me patience and understanding even

Sport is incredible in how it can increase confidence, self-esteem, and overall health while teaching children a new ability of working with others as a team, taking direction, and doing things they never thought possible. I want to be able to show what sports is capable of teaching and the rewards that come along with it. The concept of team reveals what is achievable through solidarity that would be impossible in solitary.

I could be considered a hidden figure because I am a multi-faceted individual. I have a passion for learning and recalling information. For example, I have been the team captain for my Black History Quiz Bowl team which competes for 6-8 hours, Jeopardy style against other schools. I initiate contact with my school advisers and study groups outside of school hours. Other academic talents include continuous A-Honor Roll, scoring 5/5 in every subject for the state End of Grade testing. I was selected as the highest academic achiever in the 4th grade, thereby receiving honors and recognition at the UNC and Duke Football game as “All Star Achiever.” My next hidden talent surfaced as I attended an amazing summer camp at Clemson University. I built

With my eyes glued to the ball. Just waiting for the center to snap it to the quarterback I made sure my cleats were dug in and ready to go. As the center moved the ball I charged forward shoving the center out of the way and slamming my shoulder into the quarterback and taking him down before he had a chance to blink. After the play, there was time to think to myself about the past week, the events that had transpired, the important decision I had made, and about that one sunny day at practice.

Approximately four years ago, twelve of us accepted a position on team that none of us, not only knew anything about, but also did not expect much from. We were twelve individuals that were seeking a college soccer experience at the division I level and if you ask any of those girls back then, none of them could have predicted the reality of the four years that we would ultimately spend here. This team had experienced heartbreak in freshman year on many levels, battled through the pain of losing in the semi-finals of sophomore year, and again losing in the finals last year. To be a part of this program is unlike any experience I’ve had before. There is always a supportive and positive environment; there is always progress being made every

As my Varsity baseball team suits up for practice we whip out our “Easton Mako Bats” and our “Evo-Shield arm sleeves.” Everyone prepares for the season as we break in our new 200-dollar gloves. As I Un-zip my “Demarani Bat Bag” I search for the stick of eye black that seems to add spice to my game as I smother it under my eye, to “reflect the sun” of course. Our accessories become a part of our game, and we begin to value them more than the game itself.

I am in Scholastic Scrimmage, which has been one of the most rewarding clubs I have been a part of and I have been captain of Varsity Scholastic Scrimmage during 11th and 12th grades. This year (12th grade) is the first year the team is going to EPC playoffs in over four years.

I am at the Hillsborough Raiders Varsity Football Championship game, and the date December 6, 2015. My parents are in the stands, but I am not, I am in the football players locker room because I am the starting wide receiver on the Raiders. Everyone on my football team calls me the star of the team, but I don’t know why. I am just Vedant Chintawar, a 14-year-old Indian with brown skin, with a staggering height of 6’2. somewhat strong, glasses and with black hair, who loves football. I am the average C student, barely passing my classes. I love the New York Jets, work at Modell’s to get free items for football, and I am the best Freshman in the United States. Other people would also describe me as nice, and friendly to everyone.

Joining a new club soccer team coupled with almost daily workouts allowed me to improve my skills in the offseason. The feeling of going into tryouts being so prepared allowed a new level of confidence to emerge in myself. With only two starting spots open, working hard from the very start was necessary in order for me to prove myself to coach. After making the team again, I knew giving my best effort couldn’t end here. I showed up to practices with a positive attitude, always ready to work hard. When the preseason scrimmages, long practices, and exhausting fitness checks were over, the feeling of having earned a starting spot was incredibly satisfying. Now, not only am I working hard to keep up my starting spot, but I am hoping my attitude will rub off on everyone and make the team stronger. Afterall, soccer is a team sport; and the possibility of winning a state title in the near future adds to my ambition to perform well for my teammates every time I step on the field.

The team bonded and practiced diligently to get better. Our team was evidently young, but we were progressing. Once the fall performance season started in August, we hit unexpected bumps in the road. Many of the girls thought that we were going to have a “rebuilding year” and lacked passion and drive. Those feelings were contagious and created a toxic environment in practice. We were plateauing instead of increasingly improving. To add to the disappointment, Taylor quit the team due to the revoking of her captainship and an injury. Suddenly, I became the sole leader of a team that was giving up. I started to feel doubt, but then I remembered my goal. I had one year left, and I was not going to let it go by unsuccessfully without trying to motivate the team, even if it felt like a fruitless attempt. I decided it was imperative that I talk to the girls about our season last year to reminisce the pure joy and accomplishment we felt when we won the State Tournament. We discussed the effort and commitment it took to be a State Champion team, and we talked about how if winning was our goal for this year, we were currently not on the right track to meet that goal. After our heart-to-heart, the team dynamic changed. The entire team was on the same page and working to progress every minute of

In the middle school awkward stages of my life, I was trying to figure out who I was or who I wanted to be. Every day I went to volleyball, swimming, track, basketball, and cheerleading practices but didn’t actually appreciate my life. School years would go by and I was still the same person just associating with people. Life was sad and pathetic.

Being involved in high school athletics has had a huge impact on my life. It has not only taught me the meaning of hard work and persistence but giving me the opportunity to build confidence on and off the court. When i was younger i would tend to keep to myself, always sitting through class hoping to never be called on because if I were to be called on, there would always be a chance to do or say something wrong. It wasn't until later, when I came to the conclusion that I feared failure, and at that time I would rather stay quiet and give in to that fear rather than face it. It was ultimately through sports that I came to the conclusion that you can't always do everything perfectly, and in the end all I could do was take the little control

My seventh grade volleyball team had a fantastic season. We had won every game except one leading up to the postseason. We were so successful since we worked well together. We exceeded in multiple areas on and off the court. After we won all of the Regional and Sectional games, we were headed to Tri-Valley on a