Being a leader in a high school sport is a challenging thing to do, especially when it’s in a female-dominated sport. Since I was the team captain for 3 years on our gymnastics team, I learned so much and developed lifelong skills that’ll help me through my whole life. Gymnastics is one of the most mentally and physically challenging sports. Physically, your body is put through so much, such as overextension and overworking of muscles, so dealing with the process to heal our muscles and strengthen them so that there is less of a strain on our physical health during the season can be difficult. As team captain, I’ve learned how to keep myself and others in check when it comes to our physical health so that we can compete all season without injuries. However, it’s not that easy when it comes to our mental health, especially during gymnastics. Gymnastics is a sport where you are doing tricks and flips that are scary and may cause injuries in seconds. Mental blocks are a constant thing for all gymnasts. This may cause further frustration and stress for any athlete. There are times when gymnasts are about to compete, and they are in tears because they are scared of a skill they have to do. I’ve learned to talk them off the ledge and calm them down so they can compete to the best of their ability. Being able to support someone and help them in the way they need is a skill that everyone should try to learn. Everyone needs support and motivation in different ways. Some girls need to be coddled, and others need to be yelled at. Although being a leader is hard because you have to try to be a perfect example, it’s okay when a leader isn’t perfect because it teaches everyone else that mistakes are okay as long as you get back up and try again. You may be asking, how is this a lesson? Being a leader in high school sports is a test of who you are as a person and how you adapt to every situation and every person that you help. No situation is the same, and there is not one person who’s exactly like another person. It has taught me to be adaptable, understanding, and empathetic. These are traits that are great to have throughout your life. Everyone must take a leadership role at one point in their life so they can learn these skills firsthand and develop into an amazing person.