Personal Profile Essay
The referee blew her whistle at the end of the first half. We were down 2-0 as we headed into our locker room. The locker room was quiet, and no one moved a muscle; the sense of defeat was apparent. As the high-school soccer team captain, I realized I needed to act.
Truthfully, I am a reserved guy. However, in that 15-minute half-time break, I was a vessel of encouragement and determination. While I may have looked silly shouting movie cliches like, "it's not over till it's over," or "leave everything you have on the field," I will never forget the shift in atmosphere from defeat to confidence.
I started a conversation with my team regarding the field positions we thought needed improvement. I organized the defenders, midfielders, and attackers into groups where they discussed where they struggled. The coach understood what formation we needed to change from the team's feedback. With new vigour, determination, and formation, we still ended the game in a 3-0 loss. However, from that game on, the team never played defeated.
As the season ended, I realized how much being the captain has influenced my life. I instilled the importance of leading by example and collaborating with others in me in other aspects of life, not only in soccer. By leading by example, I learned that actively demonstrating a high standard push everyone around you toward excellence, and by collaborating, one builds trust, connection, and camaraderie.
sammythepatty@gmail.com
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