Balancing school and sports within my high school years have made me stronger and help to reflect feminine power. I was able to push my body to the limits and gain an unbreakable mentality. It helped me to recover from injuries and be the best in my sport I could be. I participated in everything my school had to offer ranging from basketball to cross-country. Sophomore and Junior year I suffered back to back ACL injuries, which is common amongst females due to their body structure. I endured several months of rehabilitation and getting back to my feet. I was able to conquer many challenges through this difficult time and did whatever it took. It helped me to show how females can push through, grow, and become better than ever. At first it had an impact on my school and sports, but soon I became able to conquer new challenges and develop a sense of power. My senior year I was able to bring my basketball team to a win in districts and advance on to regionals. I was able to do this after all of my injuries that I had endured over the years, but I was better than ever. Our team stood out from the boys, even if they were meant to be better. I felt accomplished and was proud to be able to be a representative of our female athletic teams. Balancing sports with school was often difficult. I would do homework whenever I had free time. This included doing homework on bus rides to games, free time in class, or sometimes late at night. I also participated in concurrent classes which piled up with my regular high school homework. It was no easy task, but I was able to achieve a GPA higher than a four and become valedictorian of my class. Although we live in the world of male dominance, balancing school and sports as a female helps to show our true power and capabilities. It has made me able to distinguish myself as someone who can push the limits and challenge general expectations. Just because I am female, does not mean I can not be dominant. I have been shown that even as a female, I can be dominant whether it is on the court or in the classroom. We are not powerless objects, but people who can change the world for the better. Females who participate in athletics show the true power and determination of our sex.

Faced with two ACL injuries in two consecutive years, it has been challenging to keep going and pushing forward. Enrolled in a less populated school, it was always necessary for me to be a multi-sport athlete. Sometimes, we would barely have the right numbers to even have a team. So I participated in almost everything my school had to offer. My favorite of these is basketball, which is how I ended up with my injuries. I am currently in the recovery stage of my second torn ACL, and looking forward to finishing off my senior season of high school. The recovery process is easy by no means. Hours of weight lifting and physical therapy throughout the week can be brutal, and sometimes I lose motivation to do these tasks. Every time I think about giving up I have to look to the future where I will be healthy and playing the sports I love. Going through the six months of recovery feels like forever, but I know there will a reward at the end. It is a little sad to think, that because of my injury I will miss out on most if not the entire season of cross-country and fastpitch softball, which I have been participating in ever since I was a freshmen. Life is not always easy and fair, there is no free handouts. All I can hope for is to try my best at everything I do, because you never know when it may be put to an end. Sports have helped me to learn, make new friends, and show me a different perspective in my life. All of which, have led to my development. Each and every day I yearn to be the best version of myself in the gym and in the classroom. Pushing myself to the extremes have helped me maintain a winners mindset, which has set me up for success and continues to do so throughout my recovery. Never giving up is my mentality. The past couple of years have helped to me develop an understanding of how to stay focused on my goals and work to achieve them. Personal development is important to me to help me push for the future and to succeed in all my future endeavors. Although my ACL injury has impacted me in many ways, I keep looking towards what is to come, enabling the best in me.