Undergraduate /
"Counter-Attack" UC Prompt #2 [2]
Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are
Counter-Attack
Shifting my eyes between my defender and the ball, I listened carefully for the sound of the referee's whistle anticipating a turnover in the opposing team's side of the pool. The sound of two back-to-back whistles suddenly hit my eardrums, and I began sprinting to the other side of the pool. As I reached half-tank, the bright yellow Mikasa ball flew over and landed right in front of me. Now it was just me and their last line of defense. Concentrating and focusing my eyes on the goalie, I picked the ball up, aimed for the upper-left corner, and shot at the goal with all my might. The crowd got up, let out a big gasp, but soon sat back down. The goalie had blocked my shot. Without hesitation, I sprinted back to other end of the pool in order to get back to my defender.
The counter-attack offense that I instinctively employ in water polo mirrors my personality. In my four years of water polo, I became known for my superb counter attacks. When there is a turnover on defense, most players do not take advantage of the situation and just swim casually to the other end of the pool, letting the opponent easily catch up to them and therefore missing an easy chance at a goal. What made me the leading scorer off counters in our league is the fact that every time there is a counter-attack opportunity, I take it and use it fully. Instead of casually swimming to the other end, I sprint with full force, forgetting how tired I am and just thinking about the chance for a goal, another step towards victory. This reflects my natural tendency to try my hardest in everything I do, trying to surpass my limits every time. From my freshman year through my junior year, my GPA gradually increased. After every semester, I was determined to work harder and do better than the semester before, and I did. I believe that success is possible only if you have the heart and will to overcome your limits.
I also realize that the road to success will not always be an easy one; there are sure to be bumps along the way. Making a goal off a counter-attack is not guaranteed. Some people make the shot, some people miss, but it is what they do after that matters. After missing a shot, instead of slapping my hand against the water in frustration, I quickly swim back to my defender and look for another chance at countering. I think to myself, "This is only the first quarter; there are many more counter-attack opportunities left. Learn from your mistake." Never giving up, I learn to persevere because I believe that learning from my mistakes is essential for my future success. Entering high school, I took Geometry Honors as a freshman and struggled, receiving a D first semester and barely passing second semester with a C. However, I did not let this drag me down. This was only the first quarter of my high school career; this presented an opportunity for me to learn from my mistakes. And in the summer of 2008, with renewed focus and effort, I retook Geometry and received an A+.
Being a member of the water polo team has helped strengthen my work ethic and shape my perspective on life. The lessons in hard work, consistent effort, and learning from my mistakes will greatly benefit me as I wade into the greater pool of college education.