Anthony Bruder Memorial Scholarship

My most meaningful commitment outside of the classroom is one most wouldn’t pick. You guessed it …football. Since I was 3, I have played many sports: soccer, baseball, basketball, etc. but they are different. Only in football do you look people in the eye play after play and know you must go through them. Football is something that I must show up for every day during the season, whether I feel like doing it or not. Football taught me commitment. It requires me to take on leadership roles and teaches me that I am bonded to my word, and I must stay disciplined no matter the circumstances during games, class, and my personal time. Many people think football is simple, but when I play football, it's like a portrayal of life. Like a chess game, the quarterback is the king that must be taken down. My passion for football is glorious, I feel like a gladiator in the arena, hearing cheers from the crowd. I love the sensation of putting on my shoulder pads and helmet. Feeling the hollow clicks of the cleats on concrete is like nothing else in the world. Football hurts. Sometimes the sweat burns your eyes, and your vision is blurred like mace in your face. Sometimes, it’s grass and dirt in your mouth, and in other places, they shouldn’t be. Even with all of that, it’s a mental game, I use logic and reasoning to succeed. I have fun playing football, I love the challenge and I embrace the pain. Football has helped me get to know more people and how they operate during challenging situations. We came from different backgrounds and had to learn how to work together and mesh as a team within a few days. I have played football since I was four. Football helped me achieve many of my goals. For example, I had to participate in team workouts, change my diet, and commit to better health to stay in shape. Even with that, the mental aspect football has taught me is where I see the most progress. I have learned how to prioritize my time and give additional effort in the areas where I am the weakest. I’ve learned to accept constructive criticism. Football has humbled me too. Sometimes I get hurt, do not stay hydrated enough, or fail to make a play, but I get back up and keep going. Although I don’t succeed in every moment, football will essentially prepare me for college and life. It gives me, “GRIT”, that never give up mentality when things get rough. The knowledge and mental strength from football will help me with my entrepreneurial goals for a business major.