In addition, to community service, I contributed to my community by assisting the Little League team that my little brother played on. Initially I attended the games and cheered him on, but I quickly noticed that the coaches and other parents were often over-stretched; managing such an undertaking requires additional resources. Taking this into consideration I decided to lend a hand without being asked. I assisted with organizing practices and games. This included getting the equipment ready, setting up the cones, and raking the field before practice or a game started. During practices I helped the little kids with their fundamentals. Because many of them were first-time players and the learning process could be long, I found myself being patient, especially at the young ages when it is a bit easier to be frustrating and lose focus. For that reason I kept them engaged and motivated to continue on with practicing regardless of their enthusiasm or lack of interest at that moment. During the games, I assisted with games by making sure players were in their respective places, as well as cheering them from the sidelines, and being encouraging. This was to ensure that the kids stayed positive and also to ensure that the less fortunate players were included and felt encouraged no matter if they were having an amazing or miserable day. Being involved and making these players feel confident in their own skin through positive encouragement and affirmation, which can be as small as a little phrase or gesture, made a considerable difference for those players who could feel and see it. This taught me many valuable things about leadership and responsibility as I had to keep these little kids focused on practicing and learning how to work with younger kids. This experience also taught me how to effectively communicate clearly and precisely, as well as taking on responsibilities as I had to anticipate the team's needs and respond proactively rather than waiting to be told what to do. It has also been valuable in helping to demonstrate that while leadership requires one to stand up and assert their knowledge, it also demands humility and an eagerness to work with others, in this case other parents/coaches and the young men of Little League, to create the optimal team environment. It made me realize that often contributions don't need to be massive. Providing support and being available can have as great if not greater impact. This experience demonstrated to me that I can affect the people around me positively with just my time and support, and I know I'll do this again when I have more time to contribute to the welfare of people or even society at large.