If I had to use three words to describe myself I would use; sympathetic, hard-working, and positive. I say this because I am always wanting to help the people around me regardless of my relation to them. I am very determined in everything I do. I do everything with a purpose even when I may not want to be doing it. I can't say I am always positive because that is near impossible for anyone to do, but I always try to be a light in everyone's lives. I want to go into the medical field because I have a passion for helping others, I want to make an impact on other people's lives, and I find everything about the medical field interesting. I want to learn more about the field, and dive dipper into it. I know people who have went into the medical course and have loved it but I also know people who have not enjoyed it. My best friend's mom was a nurse until she retired to be a stay at home mom, but I looked up to her and saw her as a role model. She said that it was an indescribable feeling when you see your patients heal not just physically but emotionally. I would love to feel that same feeling when I go into the medical field. For personal experience, and what has influenced me to look into the medical field was when I had hip surgery. When I had hip surgery, I felt the feeling of being injured and in need of healing and I was so appreciative of my nurses and surgeons. They made a positive impact on my life. Ever since then, I have been eager to help people feel the same way I did after my recovery. I want people to be able to continue their life and stay healthy with my help. With all that being said, my biggest inspiration to go into the medical field was my grandma. My grandma got in a bad wreck when I was with her in the vehicle. Everyone thought it was just a few fixable injuries and that she would be better in a matter of time. My grandma started going downhill and continued to get sick, it was a crazy mix of emotions that I had during this time. I just remember constantly begging her nurses to help her. At that time, my family had to place our trust in the staff at the hospital. People in the medical field play a major role in their patients lives.

I grew up in a christian family. Both my parents also grew up in the same way. I am the oldest of three kids. My parents both went to college and found jobs after graduating. My parents raised me to be a hard-worker, kind, and confident woman. I found a love for basketball at a young age. I was never really good at school, it was always a struggle for me because of the learning disabilities that I have. With basketball in my life, it gave me a reason to work hard and do well in school. I have always dreamed of playing college basketball, I just never thought it was an option financially. I received many offers to continue my athletic and academic career in college and recently committed to a Division III school. My parents and I made an agreement that I can go to school there, but I am responsible for the financial aspect. I want to go to school for Physical Therapy. I am very motivated to do well and make this happen. I work very hard in school and I know that if I put my mind to it, I can make it through college. It would be a dream come true for me to be the first person in my family to play any sport at the college level. I enjoy learning about new things, and I know that this college is a perfect match for me. Unlike the cheaper and bigger colleges I was looking at, this college is able to provide me with the academic guidance and support that I need in order to succeed. Being able to go to college at this university, and getting my degree means the world to me. I am determined to make this happen.

If I had to describe myself in three words I would say; compassionate, hard-working, and positive. I have played basketball since I was in 2nd grade. I instantly fell in love with the game. My family has supported me financially and emotionally throughout my sports career. They have helped me reach my goal of playing basketball in college. Sports can bring a lot of stress to athletes, and then you add being a student to the mix and things can get kind of challenging. School has never come easy for me. I have a few challenging things that make learning a hard thing for me to do. Even though I have to work really hard in school, I keep my grades above a B plus throughout my high school years. I do this all while playing basketball year round with practice and training 5 days a week. Being a student athlete has taught me a lot about myself and my future. Basketball gave me the opportunity to realize what my dream job was. After going through a major hip surgery and the countless hours of Physical Therapy, I dream to be a Physical Therapist. I also have a goal to make an impact on young girls that are balancing sports, life, and school. I have gone through hard times in life, whether that is on or off a basketball court. I would not have made it through without the support and advice from women who are important to me. I am very thankful for the support and advice I was blessed to receive, and I hope that I can be that person for someone who is going through the same stuff I was. Being a student athlete has taught me that it is okay to not be the most popular in your class and to not worry about what others think and say about you. As a young girl I struggled with feeling like I needed to please and be perfect for everyone. When I got to high school, it got even worse because most people in my class are not dedicated to a sport to the degree I am. I had to learn that just because I was not able to participate in all the hangouts outside of school because of training and practices, it does not mean that I cannot have friends. Being a student athlete is a gift. Especially in college, not everyone is given the opportunity to play their sport and continue school. I love being a student athlete and I am very thankful that God has given me the opportunity to continue being a student athlete at the collegiate level. Even though my life is pretty busy with basketball and school, I have many other interests. I love photography, and recently just started up my own business. I love to go to church with my family and friends. I enjoy fishing, hunting, riding quads, and taking adventures. I have many different interests that are the complete opposite from each other but that is what makes me who I am.

If you would have told 8 year old me that I have over 10 college offers to not only continue my academic career but also my basketball career, she would be in complete shock. It all started when I was a young girl. I fell in love with basketball very quickly. I realized that I wanted to play in college one day. I set goals for myself and pushed my self each day. I made hard choices in my journey, it was not always easy for a teenage girl to turn down a hangout with her friends and go to a training or workout. I had to learn that regardless of how hard it might be, I had to cut myself off from the distractions and the people that were not there to help me and push me. Rather than talking about my successes throughout my athletic journey, I think it is important to talk about my failures and how they helped me become who I am today. Looking back at my career, I had some minor and some major setbacks. I moved from several club teams, I quit my middle school, school ball team to focus on club ball, I had several coaching changes including my own father, and lost people that I loved along the way. My 3rd AAU coach is by far the most impactful coach I have had. He has seen me at my worst and best. He was there when I was mentally struggling and was in and out of professional health. He taught me that in order for me to be successful and get to my end goals, I had to stop worrying about what others thought. One of the hardest things I have had to do was chose my sport over my friendships. As a girl, there was times in my journey where mentally, girls would make my life a little harder. With God, I knew I was not alone and that the right people would eventually come along. These small setbacks just taught me that although the process of it isn't easy, it will all work out in the end. I think my beginning years of my athletic journey were very important because it taught me how to overcome mental hurdles, how to be confident in myself, and how to trust God through it all. Although my beginning years taught me that, my most recent years have taught me that everything happens for a reason and you shouldn't take anything for granted. Two years ago, in the midst of the most important recruiting season I suffered a major hip injury. I had a reconstructive surgery including stapling and bone shaving and trimming. This was as much mental as physical. I pushed through each day for 11 months and eventually returned to the court. As any athlete knows, a big surgery can take a big toll on your confidence and performance. I am thankful for this injury because even if it set me back or caused hard times for me, I came back stronger in every aspect of my life. I tell everyone that everything happens for a reason and I am confident that this happened to me to strengthen me. Mostly, this sport has taught me that everything we do, should be a reflection of God's work. Likewise has taught me to be an image of God everyday. This is on and off the court. Be the light in someone's day. I aim to be like my people who have helped me in my goals and dreams.