“That’s the game!” I said after a close call. As I walked through the handshake line after umpiring my first ever Little League baseball game, I was instantly hit with a wall of children waiting to thank me. Because it was my very first time umpiring baseball, I was surprised yet honored to have so many young kids look up to me. All I could remember was how much I once looked up to the high school baseball players that umpired my games. I knew that I had to repay that favor. More importantly, youth sports are not just games—they shape character, and I want to help develop it in others. Following my first game, I realized that being an umpire and referee is more than just making the right call—it is about setting an example for younger players. Now, I have managed to umpire baseball for a total of six years while also refereeing youth basketball games for four years. Of course, I completed the required tasks of making the right calls and keeping a fun game dynamic but it is more than that. Game management comes with the responsibility of mentoring young players, leading kids by example, and encouraging new or struggling athletes to keep going. I remember a time when a smaller child was struggling to defend a bigger one. Unfortunately, the child got so frustrated that he began crying. So, I instantly stepped in, gave him tips to play better defense and told him that with practice he would become better. To my amazement, the next year he was one of the better defenders in the entire league. After viewing first-hand examples of the effects officials have on players, I realized that officials truly impact young athletes either positively or negatively. So, every single game that I referee or umpire, I make sure to set a positive tone, model fairness under pressure, demonstrate the rules clearly, and show understanding of kids' feelings in stressful situations. Being a varsity athlete has taught me that leadership extends beyond officiating; it also comes from setting a positive example on the playing field and in the classroom. I have earned plenty of awards for my excellence in sports, but the most important award is the recognition and trust of my teammates and younger players. As the captain of the varsity basketball team, I have spent a lot of time mentoring the underclassmen. Specifically, when a freshman was struggling shooting the ball off of the dribble, I gave him tips on keeping his elbow in and setting his feet. Although it was a small adjustment, the extra confidence I gave him elevated his shooting percentage for the rest of the season. Through my actions on and off of the court, I hope to encourage younger players to work hard, lead by example, and develop a love for the game. Through the years of playing, officiating, and mentoring in youth sports, I have learned that leadership is more than personal success—it is about lifting others up. As I transition into the next chapter of my life, I plan on mentoring more young athletes, sharing the lessons I learned, and helping them develop confidence, skills, and leadership necessary to succeed. In college, I will apply the leadership skills I have learned to succeed in the business field. Whether I am in the classroom, on the field, or in my career, I am committed to paying it forward and helping young athletes reach their full potential!

Crack! The golf ball I hit went straight into the woods and I was immediately filled with frustration. Every single round of golf I play, I go through at least a dozen golf balls. So, one day I decided to go into the woods and find my ball. I thought I would just find my ball and maybe a few extra, but as I walked into the woods, golf balls covered the ground below me—hundreds of them. In that moment, I realized there was an opportunity that I could not ignore. I went straight to the golf course manager and asked for permission to collect golf balls from the woods. From that point forward, I collected golf balls daily while developing my plan to turn the idea into a thriving business. I began marketing online and reaching potential employees. Then, I finally launched my first Facebook Marketplace campaign. In that first summer, I sold a total of $3,500 in golf balls. While that number may seem small, every week I sold out and struggled to keep up with demand. The next summer, I scaled the business by expanding to additional golf courses and hiring more people to help with retrieval. The second summer of my business, I was able to sell over $5,000 in golf balls; a substantial improvement from the year before. More than just revenue, the business has begun to represent a way to make golf more accessible. Since the creation of my business, students from lower income communities have had greater access to golf. After establishing a strong local foundation, I plan to deliberately scale my business nationally. Hopefully, this expansion will help make golf more accessible to people throughout the country. During the school year, I will attend Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration. At the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, I will strengthen my understanding of business decision-making, learning how to evaluate trade-offs and manage growth strategically. Through my coursework, I will apply scaling and financial planning strategies directly to my company, using them to expand nationally and reinvest profits to support long-term growth. Eventually, I would like to be able to automate my business so it can operate efficiently while I pursue future ventures. This year, the business is projected to make between $8,500-$10,000 in sales. This journey embodies the idea of starting small and dreaming big, as a simple effort to recover lost golf balls has grown into a business with employees, partnerships, and national ambitions. With the support of this scholarship, I will be able to deepen my business education at Ross and apply it directly to scaling my company nationally, creating new employment opportunities while expanding access to affordable golf equipment.