"Cierra needs to come out of her shell... She has the potential, talent, and skill, but she is too timid and it holds her back." Those are the words I have heard my coaches say many times on and off the volleyball court. It was not a good feeling and was sometimes embarrassing. However, those words motivated me to reach my full potential and helped me to realize that I could be an effective leader if channeled correctly.
As a young child, my parents told me that I should be more involved in extracurricular activities. I did not understand the importance of being involved in team sports and had no concept as to how this could help me in leadership roles. My parents enrolled me in cheerleading, karate, ballet and dancing, but I never found an activity that kept my interest. Little did I know, getting involved with the community as well as in school-related activities would open up many doors to interact and learn from my teammates and those in leadership.
Being a member of my high school's Varsity Volleyball team has left an impact on me that I will carry forever. For the last three years, I have played Volleyball at Stephenson High School. There have been tears, disappointments, discouragement, triumphs, competiveness, and glorious moments. Besides all of that, the experience of being a part of this team has helped me to break out of my shell. Somewhere down the line after entering middle school, I began to care too much about what others thought of me. I was not as outgoing and found myself becoming more reserved. Being a part of an activity that exposed me to failure and mistakes pushed me to embrace those flaws and learn from them. In the end, it did not make me any less of a person, but instead, it developed my character and helped me to understand that I am not a failure. I am no longer afraid to make a mistake because I was not meant to be perfect.
Despite my minor setbacks, I tried my best to apply my strengths to the team. I often saw tears of discouragement after a losing match and I made sure to uplift my teammates and keep a positive attitude towards our lost. When there were personal problems amongst the team, I demonstrated empathy and suggested ways to solve the problems. When I received external help from professional volleyball coaches, I shared my knowledge and experience with the others. Overall, I was a reliable and committed teammate who showed great effort. Making a good impression opened up possibilities for me.
As a result of being a member of the volleyball team, I learned so much about myself. When I perform in front of others, I become anxious to the point where I hold back in my areas of strength. However, once I get through the obstacle, my self-confidence increases. My experience has influenced my future plans because I am now more confident about pursing career goals that will enable me to serve as a leader, mentor, or speaker. My fields of study, journalism and broadcasting, requires skill in listening, observing, courageousness, and self-motivation. I learned how to match the effort to my accomplishments.
As a young child, my parents told me that I should be more involved in extracurricular activities. I did not understand the importance of being involved in team sports and had no concept as to how this could help me in leadership roles. My parents enrolled me in cheerleading, karate, ballet and dancing, but I never found an activity that kept my interest. Little did I know, getting involved with the community as well as in school-related activities would open up many doors to interact and learn from my teammates and those in leadership.
Being a member of my high school's Varsity Volleyball team has left an impact on me that I will carry forever. For the last three years, I have played Volleyball at Stephenson High School. There have been tears, disappointments, discouragement, triumphs, competiveness, and glorious moments. Besides all of that, the experience of being a part of this team has helped me to break out of my shell. Somewhere down the line after entering middle school, I began to care too much about what others thought of me. I was not as outgoing and found myself becoming more reserved. Being a part of an activity that exposed me to failure and mistakes pushed me to embrace those flaws and learn from them. In the end, it did not make me any less of a person, but instead, it developed my character and helped me to understand that I am not a failure. I am no longer afraid to make a mistake because I was not meant to be perfect.
Despite my minor setbacks, I tried my best to apply my strengths to the team. I often saw tears of discouragement after a losing match and I made sure to uplift my teammates and keep a positive attitude towards our lost. When there were personal problems amongst the team, I demonstrated empathy and suggested ways to solve the problems. When I received external help from professional volleyball coaches, I shared my knowledge and experience with the others. Overall, I was a reliable and committed teammate who showed great effort. Making a good impression opened up possibilities for me.
As a result of being a member of the volleyball team, I learned so much about myself. When I perform in front of others, I become anxious to the point where I hold back in my areas of strength. However, once I get through the obstacle, my self-confidence increases. My experience has influenced my future plans because I am now more confident about pursing career goals that will enable me to serve as a leader, mentor, or speaker. My fields of study, journalism and broadcasting, requires skill in listening, observing, courageousness, and self-motivation. I learned how to match the effort to my accomplishments.
