Imagine a 14 year old, healthy and active boy, who is an athlete, shut down during Covid. After months of seclusion and struggling to find training opportunities, he is injured in his first game outside of the lockdown. Unfortunately, this was me. The bright side is that I found a new career and passion in the months and years that followed. Injury prevention is the wave of the future. I have been fortunate to see the future during my time at Cressey Sports Performance, where I spent several years training for my D1 baseball career. The experiences I have had with recovering from injuries inspired me to learn more in depth about the human body, movement patterns and recovery. While many trainers have their favorite themes or rituals, I have found that only a few really understand how to train holistically and take into account how repetitive movements wear down the unprepared body. I see the future taking shape through strength coaches, by selective training, best attained from seasoned professionals with years of experience in training multiple types of athletes. These apprenticeships will be focused not only getting bigger, faster and stronger, but more resilient and healthy. In my primary sport of baseball, injuries are taking a greater toll each year on players at all levels. Baseball is a sport that relies on quickness and explosiveness, and is quite repetitive. It is crucial to have injury prevention at the forefront of player training rituals. Over the past several years, my Dad homeschooled me and I was able to train regularly. During this time, I took a keen interest in the strength and conditioning. Through my studies, I was able to finish my CPT (Certified Personal Trainer) program at age 17. I am a nationally certified trainer, and I love helping other athletes also reach their goals. One of the things that I stress to others is the importance of self care and preparation. By this, I mean that they should eat properly, get good sleep, have a solid stretching routine, and only work with trainers who understand the big picture. How each body works is a little different, and they should understand who they are and develop a plan that gets them stronger and keeps them healthy. The more we can keep people healthy, the more we can all enjoy success and higher levels of achievement. I am excited to be a part of this future, and will do my small part to prevent injuries and contribute to holistic strength training.

I am passionate about health and wellness, and my belief is that it is important for people to reach their maximum potential. In order to achieve that, I believe that it is imperative to understand how the body can perform at its peak. I have studied nutrition and training extensively and achieved my national CPT (certified personal trainer) certification at age 17. I use it to train (for free) underprivileged high school students who cannot afford personal trainers. As a homeschool student for the past five years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to have a flexible schedule and to surround myself with successful and spiritual people. My Dad has been in charge of my homeschooling, and we have formed a great team and bond following a traumatic event that my brother was involved in - the 2017 Stoneman Douglas high school mass shooting. Following my transition to homeschool, I have been able to pursue my academic and athletic goals like never before. I am fascinated by how the body works and moves. My studies have included deep dives into kinesiology and exercise science, with a focus on understanding movement patterns. When I was younger, I dealt with sports injuries, and I began to understand more about the deficiencies that my body had. I was able to learn how to address those weaknesses and decided that I would pursue these subjects in my future career. Many of my high school activities have revolved around baseball training, and I was named All-County and All-American in high school. I am blessed with the opportunity to play baseball at a Division 1 college (Lafayette College), and this is something that only 2% of high school athletes achieve. I have been fortunate to have good trainers in many aspects of my life. This includes baseball-specific trainers, strength trainers, agility trainers and more. Without these people and my father's help, I would not be where I am at today. In order to realize my full athletic potential, I had to change my eating patterns at around age 13. I had some talent, but my body was not in the best shape, so I realized that I needed to eat more healthy foods. Fortunately, I was being homeschooled, and had the flexibility to incorporate new routines. My Dad started helping me cook better meals, and I stopped eating junk food. As I did this, I also found a great local trainer to help me become more athletic. I needed a ton of work on my athleticism, and it took me a while to see big gains. I was determined to make it happen, however, and people began to see the big changes in me over time. I want to also help people achieve their dreams in my future career. Balancing college classes and baseball will be challenging, but my experience in high school has helped me to prepare for this challenge. This path over the past few years has been very hard, yet super rewarding. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I passed my national certification exam as a CPT at age 17. This was the crowning achievement that resulted from several years of hard work. I am looking forward to learning more about the body and how it works over the next four years. Thank you for your consideration.

Jack Terry’s story is inspiring to me because of how much adversity he faced and overcame. I can’t imagine how challenging it was to go through what he did. I will share how I overcame a different form of adversity, and how it re-shaped my future goals. As the great Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter once said, “Injuries suck”, after breaking his ankle in the 2013 Championship Series. I couldn’t have agreed more in the summer of 2020. In the summer of 2020, I had an injury to the growth-plate in my right shoulder - it started to stretch and form a gap in the growth-plate. This injury occurred as a result of many factors, including the fact that I was growing at the time while throwing baseballs year-round; however, one thing that can get overlooked is a proper lifting program, which I did not have. A proper lifting program can help prevent many issues such as growth-plate injuries; but in my case, it did the opposite and contributed to the injury. Dealing with an injury during the pandemic left me with time on my hands…sometimes too much! However, I started thinking about how I could make sure this never happened to me again. Not only did I think about preventing future injuries to myself, but I also wanted to make sure that it did not happen to my teammates either. I spent the rest of the summer (and several years after that) researching and learning everything there is to know about the body from the cellular level up to the body’s movement patterns. When it came to qualifying for my national Certified Personal Training license as a 17-year-old, it seemed daunting at first, but 8 months later I prevailed with a certification. “But now what?” I asked myself. Sure, I have this piece of paper saying I am licensed, but I did not know what I could use it for. Then, one day I was lifting with some of my friends, and they were talking about how they wished they could work out with a more structured program, but they couldn’t afford it. They are both first generation Americans and college students. Then it hit me, what better way to use the license then to help my friends. So, I began writing their programs. The more John and Junior began implementing the programs, the more they would come back with positive reviews; such encouraging results enabled me to realize that helping kids my age was something that I could keep doing. I was skeptical at first, because who would take such advice from quite literally a peer: “Why would we take advice from you?” I replayed these conversations over and over in my head, terrified of what others might think. Not only what I was I afraid what they might think, I was afraid of being embarrassed. However, those that I helped were not only appreciative, but they started asking questions. I quickly learned that one cannot go living life with those fears hanging over their head; it is important not to only be ambitious, but it is also important to learn how to overcome failure and embarrassment. Regarding my future goals, there are two primary professional tracks that I am pursuing. The first one is baseball. I saw a lifelong dream realized when I signed a letter to play Division 1 college baseball starting this coming fall. My first goal is to play baseball professionally after college. Second, I want to continue helping others to reach their maximum potential through the use of my strength training and nutrition management.

As the great New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter once said in an interview, “Injuries suck”, after breaking his ankle in game 1 of the 2013 American League Championship Series. I for one couldn’t have agreed more with this statement in the summer of 2020. In the summer of 2020, I had an injury to the growth-plate in my right shoulder - it started to stretch and form a gap in the growth-plate. This injury occurred as a result of many factors, including the fact that I was simply growing at the time while throwing baseballs year-round; however, one thing that can get overlooked is a proper lifting program, which I did not have. A proper lifting program can help prevent many issues such as growth-plate injuries, but in my case, it did the opposite and contributed to the injury. Dealing with an injury during the pandemic left me a lot of time on my hands…sometimes too much! However, I started thinking about how I could make sure this never happened to me again. Not only did I think about preventing future injuries to myself, but I also wanted to make sure that it did not happen to my teammates either. I spent the rest of the summer (and several summers after that) researching and learning everything there is to know about the body from the cellular level up to the body’s movement patterns. When it came to qualifying for my national Certified Personal Training license as a 17-year-old, it seemed daunting at first, but 8 months later I prevailed with a certification. “But now what?” I asked myself. Sure, I have this piece of paper that says I am licensed, but I did not know what I could use it for. Then, one day I was lifting with some of my friends, and they were talking about how they wished they could work out with a program having more structure, but they could not afford it. They are both first generation Americans and college students. Then it hit me, what better way to use the license then to help my friends. So, I began writing their programs. The more John and Junior began implementing the programs, the more they would come back with positive reviews; such encouraging results enabled me to realize that helping kids my age was something that I could keep doing. I was quite skeptical at first, because who would take such advice from quite literally a peer: “Why would we take advice from you?”, “who are you to try to tell us what to do?” I replayed these conversations over and over in my head, terrified of what others might think. Not only what I was I afraid what they might think, I was afraid of being embarrassed. However, those that I helped were not only appreciative, but they also started asking questions. I quickly learned that one cannot go living life with those fears hanging over their head; it is important not to only be ambitious, but it is also important to learn how to overcome failure and embarrassment - that is just the way of life. Regarding my future goals, there are two primary professional tracks that I am pursuing. The first one is baseball. I saw a lifelong dream realized when I signed a letter to play Division 1 baseball starting this coming fall. My first goal is to play baseball professionally after college. Second, I want to continue helping others to reach their maximum potential through the use of my strength training and nutrition management. Thank you for hearing me out!

The upcoming chapter in my life is titled “LLL”, which stands for Loving Leopard Life! I will be attending Lafayette College in Easton, PA, where I will be majoring in biology and playing baseball for the Leopards. The Leopards play in the Patriot League, which has a rich history, and includes such schools as Army West Point and the Naval Academy. My time in Easton will be filled with new experiences and amazing learning opportunities. One of the things that I look forward to is living in a new part of the country. I can meet new people, visit new places and learn independence. From what I have seen in my two visits there, I love the culture and my coaches and future teammates. It will be so exciting to finally arrive in my college era. Although I have lived in three different states while growing up, I have never lived in the northeast. I am confident that I will be able to adapt to my new life quickly, and cannot wait to experience my first fall on campus. From what I have learned, being a Lafayette Leopard comes with a strong commitment to community, and taking ownership of the rich history that comes with it. One should hold their head high and do their best in every endeavor as a Leopard. In addition to pursuing my baseball dreams on campus, I will also be able to pursue my academic goals. I am already a certified personal trainer (CPT), but once I achieve additional education, I will be able to serve more people. In high school, I have already been serving underprivileged high school athletes by training them for free, and I cannot wait to offer similar services to others who cannot otherwise afford professional training. Lastly, my LLL chapter will include new friends from all walks of life. I have new friends from Georgia, Connecticut and Pennsylvania before even setting foot on campus. Kids that have grown up in different walks of life have so much to offer, and I am excited to learn more from them. Moreover, my coaches are great people, and I can already see the amazing bonds being built by the Leopards baseball team. The coaches are still relatively young, so we will be going on this learning journey together, arriving at a destination that we will all find new, fresh and exciting! There has never been a better time to be a Leopard! Thank you for considering me and #RollPards!!

I am passionate about health and wellness, and I think it is important for people to reach their maximum potential. In order to achieve that, I believe that it is imperative to understand how the body can perform at its peak. I have studied nutrition and training extensively and achieved my national CPT (certified personal trainer) certification at age 17. Furthermore, I entered my senior year with a 4.0 GPA. In my role as a CPT, I train underprivileged high school students who cannot afford personal trainers. I am fascinated by how the body works and moves. My studies have included deep dives into kinesiology and exercise science, with a focus on understanding movement patterns. When I was younger, I dealt with sports injuries, and I began to understand more about the deficiencies that my body had. I was able to learn how to address those weaknesses and decided that I would pursue these subjects in my future career. Much of my high school activities have revolved around baseball training. I have an offer to play at a Division 1 college, and this is something that only 2% of high school athletes achieve. I have been fortunate to have good trainers in many aspects of my life. This includes baseball specific trainers, strength trainers, agility trainers and more. Without these people and my father's help, I would not be where I am at today. In order to realize my full athletic potential, I had to change my eating patterns at around age 13. I had some talent, but my body was not in the best shape, so I realized that I needed to eat more healthy foods. My Dad started helping me cook better meals, and I stopped eating junk food. As I did this, I also found a great local trainer to help me become more athletic. I needed a ton of work on my athleticism, and it took me a while to see big gains. I was determined to make my dreams happen, however, and people began to see the big changes in me over time. This path over the past few years has been very hard, yet super rewarding. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I passed my national certification exam as a CPT at age 17. This was the crowning achievement that resulted from several years of hard work. I am looking forward to learning more about the body and how it works over the next four years. Once I achieve my college degree, I will be able to help more people overcome physical challenges, and give them ways to improve themselves in a multitude of areas. Lafayette is an amazing school, but attending there comes with a cost. Winning this scholarship would help me reach my goal of graduating without debt. Thank you for your consideration.

I am passionate about health and wellness. My belief is that it is important for people to reach their maximum potential. In order to achieve that, it is imperative to understand how the body can perform at its peak. Although I love music and attending concerts when I am not involved in sports, here I will tell you more about how being a student athlete has shaped my vision for the future. I have studied nutrition and training extensively and achieved my national CPT (certified personal trainer) certification at age 17. I use it to train underprivileged high school students who cannot afford personal trainers. I am fascinated by how the body works and moves. My studies have included deep dives into kinesiology and exercise science, with a focus on understanding movement patterns. When I was younger, I dealt with sports injuries, and I began to understand more about the deficiencies that my body had. I was able to learn how to address those weaknesses and decided that I would pursue these subjects in my future career. Much of my high school activities have revolved around baseball training. I have signed a national letter of intent to play at a Division 1 college (Lafayette College in Easton,PA), and this is something that only 2% of high school athletes achieve. I have been fortunate to have good trainers in many aspects of my life. This includes baseball specific trainers, strength trainers, agility trainers and more. Without these people and my father's help, I would not be where I am at today. In order to realize my full athletic potential, I had to change my eating patterns at around age 13. I had some talent, but my body was not in the best shape, so I realized that I needed to eat more healthy foods. My Dad started helping me cook better meals, and I stopped eating junk food. As I did this, I also found a great local trainer to help me become more athletic. I needed a ton of work on my athleticism, and it took me a while to see big gains. I was determined to reach my goals, however, and people began to see the big changes in me over time. This path over the past few years has been very hard, yet super rewarding. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I passed my national certification exam as a CPT at age 17. This was the crowning achievement that resulted from several years of hard work. I am looking forward to learning more about the body and how it works over the next four years. Thank you for your consideration.

I am a child in a single parent household. My Dad has provided for me in every way, even after my brother was involved in a school shooting in FL. He has stuck with me in every way - emotionally, physically and spiritually. Let me tell you about how this has shaped my life. My dream has always been to play college baseball and eventually Major League Baseball, and my Dad has supported the dream every step of the way. Once my Dad started raising me on his own, I started learning about how to cook, eat right and exercise properly. I was a little overweight as a 13-year-old, but my Dad figured out how to get me on track. Not only did he cook, clean and take me everywhere I needed to go, but he also homeschooled me while he pursued tenure as a college professor. By having this flexibility in my schedule, I was able to learn more about my anatomy and physiology interests, and include my baseball and strength training into my daily routines. I even achieved national certification as a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) as a 17 year old. Fast forward to my senior year, and I entered with a 4.0 GPA and a commitment to play Division 1 baseball at Lafayette College - a high academic school with an amazing reputation. Regarding my upbringing with Dad, I know it wasn't easy for him being a single Dad. He didn't plan on this and probably wasn't prepared for it. However, I appreciate now the fact that he was willing to do what was best for me and to help me achieve my dreams. Sure, the laundry wasn't always done and the house wasn't always perfectly clean, but I had everything I needed. Furthermore, I was always more confident when he was around. I did not want to go anywhere else unless Dad came with me. He coached my youth baseball teams and my high school travel teams. Even though it can sometimes be embarrassing having a parent in the dugout, I did not feel that way with my Dad. He also helped my friends with their academics, skills and college baseball recruiting as well, and they liked having him around. I knew that Dad would take care of any issues that came up - I just had that confidence. Thank you for considering my application. I know that there are many great single parents out there. However, I believe that my Dad should be recognized as well. Single dads are few and far between, and mine has had a great impact on my life.

I am a child in a single parent household. My Dad has provided for me in every way, even after my brother was involved in a school shooting in FL. He has stuck with me in every way - emotionally, physically and spiritually. Let me tell you about how this has shaped my life. My dream has always been to play Major League Baseball, and my Dad has supported the dream every step of the way. Once my Dad started raising me on his own, I started learning about how to cook, eat right and exercise properly. I was a little overweight as a 13-year-old, but my Dad figured out how to get me on track. Not only did he cook, clean and take me everywhere I needed to go, but he also homeschooled me while he pursued tenure as a college professor. By having this flexibility in my schedule, I was able to learn more about my interests and include my baseball and strength training in my daily routines. Fast forward to my senior year, which I entered with a 4.0 GPA and a commitment to play Division 1 baseball at Lafayette College. Regarding my upbringing with Dad, I know it wasn't easy for him being a single Dad. He didn't plan on this and probably wasn't prepared for it. However, I appreciate now the fact that he was willing to do what was best for me and to help me achieve my dreams. Sure, the laundry wasn't always done and the house wasn't always perfectly clean, but I had everything I needed. Furthermore, I was always more confident when he was around. I did not want to go anywhere else unless Dad came with me. He coached my youth baseball teams and my high school travel teams. Even though it can sometimes be embarrassing having a parent in the dugout, I did not feel that way with my Dad. He also helped my friends with their academics, skills and college baseball recruiting as well, and they liked having him around. I knew that Dad would take care of any issues that came up - I just had that confidence. Thank you for considering my application. I know that there are many great single parents out there. However, I believe that my Dad should be recognized as well. Single dads are few and far between, and mine has had a great impact on my life.

I am passionate about health and wellness, and my belief is that it is important for people to reach their maximum potential. In order to achieve that, I believe that it is imperative to understand how the body can perform at its peak. I have studied nutrition and training extensively and achieved my national CPT (certified personal trainer) certification at age 17. I use it to train (for free) underprivileged high school students who cannot afford personal trainers. Being fascinated by how the body works and moves, my academic studies have included deep dives into kinesiology and exercise science, with a focus on understanding movement patterns. When I was younger, I dealt with sports injuries, and I began to understand more about the deficiencies that my body had. I was able to learn how to address those weaknesses and decided that I would pursue these subjects in my future career. Many of my high school activities have revolved around baseball training, and I was named All-County and All-American in high school. I am blessed with the opportunity to play baseball at a Division 1 college (Lafayette College), and this is something that only 2% of high school athletes achieve. I have been fortunate to have good trainers in many aspects of my life. This includes baseball-specific trainers, strength trainers, agility trainers and more. Without these people and my father's help, I would not be where I am at today. In particular, training at Eric Cressey’s Florida facility has been a game changer for my career. This path over the past few years has been very hard, yet super rewarding. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I passed my national certification exam as a CPT at age 17. This was the crowning achievement that resulted from several years of hard work. I am looking forward to learning more about the body and how it works during college and beyond. My life’s path to this point is important to how I see the future of strength and conditioning. While in high school, I participated in a research study with two professors at Florida Atlantic University. The subject of the study was predicting performance of college baseball players using their high school metrics. What we found was that the traditional metrics used in talent identification and scouting are not predictive of future performance. Rather, there are strength indicators that predict performance. This is important, because arm injuries are dominating the sport of baseball now, and higher numbers of showcases are associated with higher risk of arm injury. Showcases are where max throwing is required, and thus too many showcases appears to negatively affect the long term health of baseball players. I have already begun to design a new tryout system that incorporates the new science. Instead of relying on old, traditional showcases, I am in the early stages of trying to “change the game”. Developing a new way of identifying talent will change the industry in two ways: 1) less injuries, and 2) better predictions of future performance, which will require fewer players to transfer schools. The new strategy also brings strength and conditioning to the forefront, as the new metrics are strength related, and the realization is increasing that we as strength trainers can contribute to more effective injury prevention.

I am passionate about health and wellness, and my belief is that it is important for people to reach their maximum potential. In order to achieve that, I believe that it is imperative to understand how the body can perform at its peak. I have studied nutrition and training extensively and achieved my national CPT (certified personal trainer) certification at age 17. I use it to train (for free) underprivileged high school students who cannot afford personal trainers. As a homeschool student for the past five years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to have a flexible schedule and to surround myself with successful and spiritual people. My Dad has been in charge of my homeschooling, and we have formed a great team and bond following a traumatic event that my brother was involved in - the 2017 Stoneman Douglas high school mass shooting. Following my transition to homeschool, I have been able to pursue my academic and athletic goals like never before. I am fascinated by how the body works and moves. My studies have included deep dives into kinesiology and exercise science, with a focus on understanding movement patterns. When I was younger, I dealt with sports injuries, and I began to understand more about the deficiencies that my body had. I was able to learn how to address those weaknesses and decided that I would pursue these subjects in my future career. Many of my high school activities have revolved around baseball training, and I was named All-County and All-American in high school. I am blessed with the opportunity to play baseball at a Division 1 college (Lafayette College), and this is something that only 2% of high school athletes achieve. I have been fortunate to have good trainers in many aspects of my life. This includes baseball-specific trainers, strength trainers, agility trainers and more. Without these people and my father's help, I would not be where I am at today. In order to realize my full athletic potential, I had to change my eating patterns at around age 13. I had some talent, but my body was not in the best shape, so I realized that I needed to eat more healthy foods. Fortunately, I was being homeschooled, and had the flexibility to incorporate new routines. My Dad started helping me cook better meals, and I stopped eating junk food. As I did this, I also found a great local trainer to help me become more athletic. I needed a ton of work on my athleticism, and it took me a while to see big gains. I was determined to make it happen, however, and people began to see the big changes in me over time. I want to also help people achieve their dreams in my future career. Balancing college classes and baseball will be challenging, but my experience in high school has helped me to prepare for this challenge. This path over the past few years has been very hard, yet super rewarding. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I passed my national certification exam as a CPT at age 17. This was the crowning achievement that resulted from several years of hard work. I am looking forward to learning more about the body and how it works over the next four years. Thank you for your consideration.

I am passionate about health and wellness, and my belief is that it is important for people to reach their maximum potential. In order to achieve that, I believe that it is imperative to understand how the body can perform at its peak. I have studied nutrition and training extensively and achieved my national CPT (certified personal trainer) certification at age 17. I use it to train underprivileged high school students who cannot afford personal trainers. As a homeschool student for the past five years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to have a flexible schedule and to surround myself with successful and spiritual people. My Dad has been in charge of my homeschooling, and we have formed a great team and bond following a traumatic event that my brother was involved in - the 2017 Stoneman Douglas high school mass shooting. Following my transition to homeschool, I have been able to pursue my academic and athletic goals like never before. I am fascinated by how the body works and moves. My studies have included deep dives into kinesiology and exercise science, with a focus on understanding movement patterns. When I was younger, I dealt with sports injuries, and I began to understand more about the deficiencies that my body had. I was able to learn how to address those weaknesses and decided that I would pursue these subjects in my future career. Many of my high school activities have revolved around baseball training, and I was named All-County and All-American in high school. I am blessed with the opportunity to play baseball at a Division 1 college (Lafayette College), and this is something that only 2% of high school athletes achieve. I have been fortunate to have good trainers in many aspects of my life. This includes baseball-specific trainers, strength trainers, agility trainers and more. Without these people and my father's help, I would not be where I am at today. In order to realize my full athletic potential, I had to change my eating patterns at around age 13. I had some talent, but my body was not in the best shape, so I realized that I needed to eat more healthy foods. Fortunately, I was being homeschooled, and had the flexibility to incorporate new routines. My Dad started helping me cook better meals, and I stopped eating junk food. As I did this, I also found a great local trainer to help me become more athletic. I needed a ton of work on my athleticism, and it took me a while to see big gains. I was determined to make it happen, however, and people began to see the big changes in me over time. This path over the past few years has been very hard, yet super rewarding. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I passed my national certification exam as a CPT at age 17. This was the crowning achievement that resulted from several years of hard work. I am looking forward to learning more about the body and how it works over the next four years. Thank you for your consideration.

I am passionate about health and wellness, and I believe that it is important for people to reach their maximum potential. In order to achieve that, I believe that it is imperative to understand how the body can perform at its peak. I have studied nutrition and training extensively and achieved my national CPT (certified personal trainer) certification at age 17. I use it to train underprivileged high school students who cannot afford personal trainers. I am fascinated by how the body works and moves. My studies have included deep dives into kinesiology and exercise science, with a focus on understanding movement patterns. When I was younger, I dealt with sports injuries, and I began to understand more about the deficiencies that my body had. I was able to learn how to address those weaknesses and decided that I would pursue these subjects in my future career. Much of my high school activities have revolved around baseball training. I have an offer to play at a Division 1 college, and this is something that only 2% of high school athletes achieve. I have been fortunate to have good trainers in many aspects of my life. This includes baseball specific trainers, strength trainers, agility trainers and more. Without these people and my father's help, I would not be where I am at today. In order to realize my full athletic potential, I had to change my eating patterns at around age 13. I had some talent, but my body was not in the best shape, so I realized that I needed to eat more healthy foods. My Dad started helping me cook better meals, and I stopped eating junk food. As I did this, I also found a great local trainer to help me become more athletic. I needed a ton of work on my athleticism, and it took me a while to see big gains. I was determined to make it happen, however, and people began to see the big changes in me over time. This path over the past few years has been very hard, yet super rewarding. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I passed my national certification exam as a CPT at age 17. This was the crowning achievement that resulted from several years of hard work. I am looking forward to learning more about the body and how it works over the next four years. Thank you for your consideration.

My apologies in advance - I am writing this as a son of a single Dad, not a single Mom - but please hear me out. My Dad has provided for me in every way for five years after my Mom left us following a school shooting in FL. He has stuck with me in every way - emotionally, physically and spiritually. Let me tell you about how this has shaped my life. My dream has always been to play Major League Baseball, and my Dad has supported the dream every step of the way. Once my Dad started raising me on his own, I started learning about how to cook, eat right and exercise properly. I was a little overweight as a 13-year-old, but my Dad figured out how to get me on track. Not only did he cook, clean and take me everywhere I needed to go, but he also homeschooled me while he pursued tenure as a college professor. By having this flexibility in my schedule, I was able to learn more about my interests and include my baseball and strength training in my daily routines. Fast forward to my senior year, and now I have a 4.0 GPA and an offer to play Division 1 baseball at Lafayette College. Regarding my upbringing with Dad, I know it wasn't easy for him being a single Dad. He didn't plan on this and probably wasn't prepared for it. However, I appreciate now the fact that he was willing to do what was best for me and to help me achieve my dreams. Sure, the laundry wasn't always done and the house wasn't always clean, but I had everything I needed. Furthermore, I was always more confident when he was around. I did not want to go anywhere else unless Dad came with me. He coached my youth baseball teams and my high school travel teams. Even though it can sometimes be embarrassing having a parent in the dugout, I did not feel that way with my Dad. He helped my friends with their academics, skills and recruiting as well, and they liked having him around. I just knew that Dad would take care of any issues that came up - I just had that confidence. Thank you for considering my application. I know that there are many great single mothers out there. However, I believe that my Dad should be recognized as well. Single dads are few and far between, and mine has had a great impact on my life.

The dream version of my future self envisions me playing at Yankee Stadium in front of a sold-out crowd, captivating the imagination of youth athletes everywhere who aren't the biggest, fastest or strongest - those who must overcome the greatest odds to perform their skills at the highest level; while I can fulfill one dream by playing Division 1 baseball next year at Lafayette in the Patriot League, much more certainly remains!

I am passionate about health and wellness. It is important for people to reach their maximum potential. In order to achieve that, I believe that it is imperative to understand how the body can perform at its peak. I have studied nutrition and training extensively and achieved my national CPT (certified personal trainer) certification at age 17. I use it to train underprivileged high school students who cannot afford personal trainers. I am fascinated by how the body works and moves. My studies have included deep dives into kinesiology and exercise science, with a focus on understanding movement patterns. When I was younger, I dealt with sports injuries, and I began to understand more about the deficiencies that my body had. I was able to learn how to address those weaknesses and decided that I would pursue these subjects in my future career. Much of my high school activities have revolved around baseball training. I have an offer to play at a Division 1 college, and this is something that only 2% of high school athletes achieve. I have been fortunate to have good trainers in many aspects of my life. This includes baseball specific trainers, strength trainers, agility trainers and more. Without these people and my father's help, I would not be where I am at today. In order to realize my full athletic potential, I had to change my eating patterns at around age 13. I had some talent, but my body was not in the best shape, so I realized that I needed to eat more healthy foods. My Dad started helping me cook better meals, and I stopped eating junk food. As I did this, I also found a great local trainer to help me become more athletic. I needed a ton of work on my athleticism, and it took me a while to see big gains. I was determined to make it happen, however, and people began to see the big changes in me over time. This path over the past few years has been very hard, yet super rewarding. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I passed my national certification exam as a CPT at age 17. This was the crowning achievement that resulted from several years of hard work. I am looking forward to learning more about the body and how it works over the next four years. Thank you for your consideration.