Leadership to me is the ability to focus on the goals of the group, the desired outcome, and how it is best to lead by example. I pride myself on leading by example whether it’s in lacrosse where I am a captain or at work managing our pools and staff. Just last week in lacrosse practice we were running stairs and my legs felt like jelly I was considering stopping and resting but in the back of my mind, I knew I had to keep going to show to the team the value of hard work even when the going gets tough. While work isn’t quite as physically demanding as I am able to lead by example there too. In the summer when the pool is running in full force, I constantly try and do something productive rather than sit and look at my phone. I would prefer to do something as simple as sweeping or interacting with the members, but I always make sure I am up and doing something before asking others to follow me. While there are many great qualities of being a leader this is one that is simple and makes a significant impact on those counting on you. When thinking of an example of how I have demonstrated leadership it would be becoming a captain of my lacrosse team this year. There is not one specific example, it has been a cumulative process. When I was in 7th grade, some of my friends were thinking about trying out for the lacrosse team, I decided to tryout and made the team. We learned the rules of the game, the skills needed, and how to work together toward a common goal. I began building very important relationships with my peers and found a deep respect for my coach, Coach Kirby. I saw the leadership skills he had, and I began to model my behavior in the same fashion. In high school, the same group of guys continued to play and the trust and comradery we had built in middle school continued to get stronger. Our interactions were not only on the field, but they were also in the classroom, community, and socially. We held each other accountable for getting good grades, making smart choices, and giving back to the community. As a team we have delivered Christmas trees, worked concession stands, raked leaves, and provided skill clinics to the middle school players. The most rewarding part for me was last spring when I got to be an assistant coach to Coach Kirby. I got to help the kids with the same things I had learned from him a few years before. Now, these guys are in the freshman class, and they have a bond with me. Having this interaction with them built their trust in me and they look to me for guidance on and off the field. When I first started lacrosse, I had no idea that I would learn so much from a game. It has taught me about leadership, respect, personal responsibility, sportsmanship, team unity, and how important it is to give back to the community. The Native Americans called stickball the creator’s game because they felt it was a gift. They believe the sport is meaningful, unifies players with the community, and better prepares us for life. My experience with lacrosse has been exactly that.

The two big questions that I need to think about are what major I want to pursue and what career will make me happy long term. Now that I am applying to college everyone is asking what I plan on studying and what I want to do in the future. These questions are hard for me because it is difficult to narrow down. Throughout high school, I’ve had time to explore possible career paths in wood woodworking, horticulture technology, and aquatic management. Woodworking is my most recent area of interest. I took woodworking for the first time in my junior year. Woodworking has allowed me to explore my creative side while also utilizing my mathematical and critical thinking skills. I am currently making a live edge dining room table that I am competing with in the American Fresh Wood Competition. My teacher has also taken us to conventions to expose us to what careers there are in woodworking. I think woodworking would fit with my skill set but not sure of all the paths available. I also took a horticulture class which piqued my interest in learning more. As a child, I was intrigued by nature, specifically plants. I loved to take walks and try and identify different plants, trees, flowers, and leaf shapes. In my senior year, I chose to do a dual enrollment program with Alamance Technical Community College to further explore my interest in the field. I am taking four courses this year and hope that it helps me establish if this is an option for me to pursue. As with woodworking, I feel it could be a good fit for me to incorporate some hands-on skills with academic ones. Lastly, I have been working at a pool for the past two years, what started as a summer lifeguarding job has turned into a year-round aquatic management job of multiple pools at a swim club. This has been a job where I have been able to learn a lot and figure out how the equipment works. I gained the respect of my peers and management at the end of the summer and was asked to take over from the previous manager. This promotion allowed me to become a certified pool operator (CPO) and gave me the ability to perform advanced water chemistry tests and monitoring. I am not sure what this would translate to as far as a major goes or if this would suit me long-term. I have found a lot of enjoyment in all three areas and feel like I have thrived in them. When deciding about a major and ultimate career choice that will make me happy, I plan to use my time to continue thinking about myself, my interests, and my strengths and explore new options. For now, I will continue to tell people I am figuring it out.

Lacrosse has taught me commitment, teamwork, and discipline on and off the field. It has also shown me the importance of a community. The height of this experience was my junior year when my team was fighting to win the state playoff game during a northeaster; but in retrospect, it was a cumulative process, not just a game that led us there. When I was in 7th grade, some of my friends were thinking about trying out for the lacrosse team, none of us had ever played. My neighbor played lacrosse and I had watched him throw the ball around in the cul-de-sac but didn’t know anything about the sport. Blindly I decided to tryout and made the team. For the next two years, we learned the rules of the game, the skills needed to be a competitive player, and how to be a member of a team working together toward a common goal. I began building very important relationships with my teammates and found a deep respect for my coach. Coach Kirby would throw with me every Friday during the offseason and would pull me aside when I was in his science class to show me highlights from recent college games. He encouraged my friends and me to go watch college and high school games together which help develop our sense of community. In high school, the same group of guys continued to play and the trust and comradery we had built in middle school continued to get stronger. As a team, we developed a sense of responsibility for ourselves and the team. We made every practice, did off-season play leagues and workouts, and during the peak of Covid we were so passionate about it we chose to practice and have games wearing masks instead of missing the abbreviated season. Our interactions were not only on the field, but they were also in the classroom, community, and socially. We held each other accountable for getting good grades, making smart choices, and giving back to the community. As a team we have delivered Christmas trees, worked concession stands, raked leaves, and provided skill clinics to the middle school players. The most rewarding part for me was last January I got to do a service project; I was able to be an assistant coach to Coach Kirby for my old middle school. I got to help the kids with the same things I had learned from him a few years back, attend team workouts throughout the winter and went to nearly every practice before heading off to my own during the season. I plan to continue this during my senior season. Some of these guys are in the freshman class at my high school now and we have a bond from that. I have also been able to work closely with kids in the community giving lessons to younger players who have never played but with their hard work and my enthusiasm and encouragement we have been able to make huge strides. These experiences stand out because I have been able to share my love of the game with others. When I first started lacrosse, I had no idea that I would learn so much from a game. It has taught me about respect, personal responsibility, sportsmanship, team unity, and how important it is to give back to the community. The Native Americans called stickball the creator’s game because they felt it was a gift. They believe the sport is meaningful, unifies players with the community and better prepares us for life. My experience with lacrosse has been exactly that.