Scholarship /
My Challenge of being a Team Player (all kinds of sports) - scholarship essay [3]
Prompt: Tell us a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it
Also, please help me cut down on words! Also, i'm missing a conclusion right now, not sure how to end it eloquently yet.
Swimming, karate, tennis, and gymnastics. What do all of these have in common? These sports require neither a partner nor a team. They do not require me to rely on others; they are all in all, independent. Enrolling myself in a variety of activities within and outside of school, I have ways tried to participate in the activity that did not require anyone to rely on me, or for me to rely on them. I made excuses, telling myself I felt this way because I was kept at home as a child to do homework, or because I never had a chance to work as a team, or because I just didn't know how to collaborate with others. But in reality, it was because I was afraid- afraid of rejection, afraid of failure.
It was the winter of my sophomore year that I overcame my fears. The swim season was coming to a close. My coach was choosing swimmers to go to the state swim meet as swimmers and alternates. I waited eagerly for my coach to call out my name. A few names are called out- Brent, Justin, and Connor- he paused for a second- Daniel. My heart jumped, but I stood there reserved. We tapered for a week, getting pumped up for our state meet. When the day finally came, I was thrilled and ready to spend the weekend, carefree, watching my teammates grasping their titles. I walked toward the van and that's when my coach broke the news to me- One of the swimmers had gotten ill and I was to replace him. I didn't know what to feel. I was thrilled, yet shaken from the idea of having people rely on me. I spent the rest of the trip up thinking to myself, "What happens if I swim slowly? If I accidentally dive too early?" Eventually, I overcame my fears, hoping that the other guys would see that I gave my 110%.
It was finally Friday. The day dragged on and the team and I waited anxiously for the meet to begin. Luckily, we didn't have to wait long for our event because it was the first one, the 200 Medley Relay. When our heat was up, I was shaking, not from the cold, but from the butterflies in my stomach. I looked at my teammates, dreading what would happen should we not make the finals.
The whistle was blown, Justin stepped onto the blocks. The crowd was silent. Silence ringing in my ears. The words were spoken- Take your mark, get set. Beep. The aquatic center burst out into uproar, the race had begun. Five seconds out, ten seconds out, flip, Justin was on his way back. I step onto the blocks, my heart pounding, legs shaking. He's five meters out, four, three, two, one, GO. I dive in, the water instantly soothes me and I lose all of my fears. I regain focus and pull stroke after stroke, concentrating on nothing but getting to the wall. Turn. One more length. Every breath I take, I hear my coach and teammates cheering, screaming. Touch. I'm done. Relief falls upon me. I climb out of the pool, and I quickly turn around to cheer on the rest of my team.
We place 22nd, not enough to make it to the finals. Once again, my fears of rejection and failure fill me from head to toe. I disappointed not only myself, but also the team. Yet, I sense no blame directed towards me from my team, no glares and sneer comments. How was it possible? I was the one who wasn't supposed to be on the team, I was the one that slowed us down. For the rest of the meet I pondered over the aspect of being on a team. I realized that through successes and disappointments, a team still sticks together.
From that day on I cast off my fears, no longer worrying about rejection and failure.
Thank you! Please be harsh!
