Wrestling has been part of my life for many years now and has shaped me in numerous unimaginable ways. I am a better man in every aspect because of it, and I could not imagine life without it. Wrestling is a part of who I am and has prepared me for life now and beyond this moment. When I was a middle schooler, I struggled with who I was, with others' opinions, and being confident in myself. My parents had recently divorced, and my life had changed in ways I never thought possible. It had brought me to a point where I had completely turned to food and gorged myself day in and day out. I gained tremendous amounts of weight, and when I received harsh bullying for it, I ate more to hide myself from my problems. During this darker time in my life, I was blessed enough to discover sports, which heavily brought me out of my comfort zone, and I wanted to quit as soon as I signed up. Even within this sport, I found I was teased and made fun of, but it was different this time. I stuck it out despite the teasing because I felt something I never had before with these people; even though I was the butt of the jokes, I was part of a community. Slowly, I began to change due to the company I kept by my side, Jeffersons wrestling program is something I don't know where I would be without. This sport has molded me from the ground up, changing every aspect of my life from how I walk in the hallways to how I interact with others, my previously struggling body image, and even the drive I have to complete tasks in my everyday life. Now I have built a body I can truly be proud of, thanks to wrestling. Wrestling has built me from the ground up, especially my coach, Adam Aultuzarra. In wrestling, I learned how to be disciplined; previously, this was a serious struggle for me. I consistently lazed around and only played video games, but wrestling changed that for me, building a work ethic I can be proud of. Around this time, I began to grow deeply in my faith, and I felt myself growing in my relationship with God. My faiths tied deeply with my wrestling, as every match was done for our lord and savior. It drove me through those tough times where I wanted nothing more than to quit, but having God by my side brought me comfort in every moment and gave me another pillar to live my life by. My coach this year deemed me worthy of being a team captain. I was never more excited to finally be the one to give back to a team that, for three years prior, had done nothing other than build me from the ground up. To be a part of another person's life and growth journey is a blessing from God. I hope to continue this journey of mine well into college as I grow alongside a new community and we all elevate each other beyond what we are now into more than friends, teammates, or even classmates, and become a true family. Though leaving my current team and family behind will be difficult, I'm ready to pursue my passions and dreams in a collegiate setting.