Some people would say that I have had a challenging life. I don’t think I have. Yes, I have gone through some hard times but so has everyone else. I think it’s the way I handle these situations that makes it seem like I haven't had a difficult life. I have enjoyed my life and everything I have done. I do regret not having as much of a childhood as I could have. I have been playing sports since I could walk. I started in a Mexican soccer league as a goalie, as a girl. I got a lot of bloody noses, which might be the reason my nose is a little crooked. I then moved to baseball, I played once again on a boys team. I held my own and continued to have one of the best batting averages on my team until I decided to stop playing the sport in my Freshman year. It was a hard decision to make considering the amount of time I put into the sport which was about ten years. I made the right decision for myself considering that me and my team never won a game and that the coach wanted to be our friend instead of a coach. I ended up losing friends I have had since kindergarten because of this decision. It hurt, but it also helped me realize that they were never truly friends if they were able to dismiss me that fast. During the time I was still in baseball I started basketball. Me and my team were really good, we won the championship and the championship. We even went to Vegas for a tournament. It was an amazing experience. My dad was also my coach and to this day as a senior in high school having played sports my whole life, he has been my best coach. I also played basketball for ten years, and I also stopped playing after my Freshman year because I had stopped liking the sport after five years but I didn’t know how to tell my dad. I joined a volleyball club when I was in third or fourth grade, I can’t entirely remember but I have been playing for a few years now but I haven’t had as much success in volleyball as I did in basketball. I did play all throughout high school and even made varsity. I also won two championships with my club team. In my sophomore year of high school I decided to play tennis, which was the sport I replaced softball with. After never ever picking up a racquet before I had made it to districts in my first year. It was fun and the community of the sport was something I didn’t know I needed. But looking back at these experiences I realized I never really had a typical childhood. I don’t remember ever watching cartoons like some of my other friends. I watched whatever the hotel provided. I didn’t get to have sleepovers with my closest friends because I was always at a tournament, I didn’t and still don’t have a best friend. I have been the friend who has to walk behind the others on a two person sidewalk. I don’t regret it because I had experiences that no one else had, or may ever have. I think this might be the reason why I still watch cartoons or have sleepovers, because I never got to do it before.

Being a student-athlete in high school presents a unique set of challenges, but it also offers valuable life lessons that contribute to personal growth. Balancing the demands of academics with athletic commitments can be difficult, but overcoming these challenges helps students develop important skills like time management, resilience, teamwork, and leadership. One of the most significant challenges student-athletes face is managing their time. High school sports require a lot of commitment, with practices and games, taking up afternoons, and some weekends. This often leaves little time for homework, exams, or personal responsibilities. Juggling these responsibilities can lead to stress and fatigue, but learning to prioritize tasks is an essential skill that helps students succeed both academically and athletically. Time management becomes essential, and those who master it gain discipline and efficiency, which benefits them beyond high school. Along with time management, student-athletes also deal with physical and mental fatigue. The intense physical demands of sports, including long practices and games, can lead to exhaustion. Mentally, the pressure to perform well in both school and sports can be overwhelming. Many student-athletes find themselves drained after a day of classes, yet still need to give their best effort on the field. This stress builds resilience, teaching them to push through difficult moments and stay focused on their goals. Another challenge is the sacrifice of social time and relationships. With packed schedules, student-athletes often miss out on social events or time with family and friends. This can lead to feelings of isolation, as they may be unable to participate in activities that others enjoy. Despite these sacrifices, student-athletes learn to prioritize their commitments and find a balance between their social lives and responsibilities. Despite these challenges, the lessons learned from being a student-athlete are invaluable. Time management, developed through balancing school and sports, is an essential skill that will help in future endeavors. Additionally, student-athletes learn resilience and perseverance. Facing setbacks, whether from a tough game or a challenging exam, teaches them to keep going and stay focused on their long-term goals. Teamwork and communication are also critical lessons. Success in sports depends not only on individual effort but also on collaboration with teammates. This skill transfers to other areas of life, such as group projects or future work environments. Leadership and accountability are equally important; many student-athletes take on leadership roles within their teams, which helps them develop confidence and responsibility. These experiences build character and equip students with skills they can carry into adulthood. In conclusion, being a student-athlete in high school comes with challenges, including time management, physical exhaustion, and sacrifices in social life. However, the lessons learned—such as resilience, teamwork, and leadership—are invaluable. Despite the demands, the experience helps students grow into well-rounded individuals ready to face future challenges.

Being raised in a single parent household has affected me greatly. I went from being a Daddy’s girl to realizing that he has more flaws and caused me more pain than anyone I knew. After my parents divorced I didn’t know what to do with myself, I was always my dad’s daughter, his athlete, he was my coach. I didn’t know how to not be that. It was my mom who helped me become the young woman I am today. My mom really stepped up and ended up becoming both my mother and father, although I still have to do the yard work around the house and build all the furniture because my mom would mess it up. My mom put me through therapy which helped me realize that I was so dependent on being my dad’s daughter that I lost who I was. After I recognized this I realized that she was right. I had lost who I was trying to be my dad’s daughter. That same year I changed a lot, I quit basketball, stopped playing softball, joined tennis and truly started to find who I was. It was really good for me, the only downside was that my dad was having a hard time in life. He was making me feel more like a chore than his daughter, so I didn’t talk to him for the last few years. He ended up dying in June and we never got to fix our relationship. It was my mom who came to the rescue again. She was also grieving, but she also tried to help me as best she could. I decided to go back to therapy and work through it. I am still trying to process it, I feel sad or mad at random times. After only living with my mom for the last few years I was able to see what true strength was. She not only grieved in her own time, but was able to support me and my brother, who was having a harder time than I was. She not only kept her business that she started after my parents divorced, but she continued her responsibilities with city council, Main Street Grandview, and still found time to be my mom. My mom is amazing, not only was she able to rise from the hole she was in after my parents broke up, she thrived. She became everything I wanted to be and more. She’s shown me how I want to live my life and what I can do for others. She has shown me what hard work is, and how to get through struggle. I want to be able to help others the way she has helped me. I want others to feel safe and comfortable around me, I want others to open up to me when they feel sad or upset, I want to help others in ways that they might not know how to be helped.

It wasn’t until I was hot and sweaty that my mom walked into the gym. She looked at me and told me we had to leave. I didn’t want to go. She gave me a look that said something was wrong and I knew I had to go. I didn’t fully understand that something had happened until I was in front of my grandparent's house praying to a god I don’t believe in, that something didn’t happen to the people I love. I saw my grandpa standing in their backyard, with a beer in his hand and I knew what was about to happen. My grandpa had a stroke and a heart attack in the past two years, and he wasn’t allowed to drink, he hasn’t had a drop since. When I saw the beer, it was a clear sign that something was wrong. It wasn’t until my grandpa said “Your dad’s gone,” that my world shattered. When he said it, I broke down, but I didn’t break down because he was dead, I broke down because we didn’t get to fix our relationship, I broke down for me. Not him. I was always around my dad when I was little. He was my hero. He coached me in almost every sport I played for years. He was the best coach I’ve had. We won many tournaments. We started playing older girls to give us some competition. Everything good comes to an end. This was no exception. I started playing sports for the school and the team I had with my dad came to an end. When I started high school my dad began changing. My dad started drinking more and would come to my games drunk. He would yell not only at me but everyone around him. My dad wasn’t the man I knew anymore, he became a stranger. When I had my quinceañera I didn’t invite him, we weren’t on good terms. I wouldn’t get a father-daughter dance but I was OK with that. I have been playing club volleyball since third grade, but I started playing before that. We would constantly play backyard volleyball, I was never allowed to play with my dad because I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t even allowed to play with the grown-ups, I had to play with the kids. It wasn’t until I was a sophomore that I was finally allowed to play with them. By then I didn’t want to be on their team, I wanted to beat them. We got beat a couple of times but I finally beat the dream team. After my dad died I wanted to quit playing sports because I couldn’t find it in me to keep trying. What was the point? He wasn’t going to be there, he couldn’t watch my final year of high school volleyball, so why try? After staying away for two weeks I realized I didn’t want to quit, I wanted to play and win for my dad, to show him I could win and succeed in the goals he had for me even when he’s gone. I want to play for him and the memories I have of us.