Everyone I knew was good at one thing or another. but I, at seventeen years old, had never even learned how to ride a bike. I was never considered by anyone as the “athletic type,” but as I compared myself to classmates, I realized that I should probably try out for a few sports.
Things did not go well. In soccer, I was the goalkeeper, but I could only stop the ball if it hit me. I was better at baseball, except I could never actually catch the ball. And my basketball tryout is honestly a memory I one day hope to forget.
Thankfully, at the beginning of my junior year, I met Mr. Ordorica. In his World History class, I was always the one who had something to say regardless of the subject, or “Ms. Know it all” as they would call me. After the first few weeks of school, he noticed my attentive and argumentative personality and asked me to join the debate team. By that point, I had already accepted that I was never going to be good at anything other than science. Mr. Orthorica, however, continued to encourage me to join, and eventually I agreed. …show more content…
Everywhere I looked, groups of students were practicing their speeches, reviewing their evidence, or simply listening to pep talks from their coaches. It seemed nothing like a sport. Clearly my type of environment.
“Gladynel, do you have a flow sheet?” asked Mr. O.
“Um, yeah I guess.. what is that?”
“It’s okay, you will do fine. You have it in you.” whispered Shakira, my partner.
I was positive that I was going to let her down, and that I was going to lose this round like everything else I tried before.
After about an hour of reviewing the evidence cards, the rounds were finally posted. As I walked up the steps toward the room we were assigned to, my hands began to sweat and my muscles became tense.
“Are you okay?” asked
Things did not go well. In soccer, I was the goalkeeper, but I could only stop the ball if it hit me. I was better at baseball, except I could never actually catch the ball. And my basketball tryout is honestly a memory I one day hope to forget.
Thankfully, at the beginning of my junior year, I met Mr. Ordorica. In his World History class, I was always the one who had something to say regardless of the subject, or “Ms. Know it all” as they would call me. After the first few weeks of school, he noticed my attentive and argumentative personality and asked me to join the debate team. By that point, I had already accepted that I was never going to be good at anything other than science. Mr. Orthorica, however, continued to encourage me to join, and eventually I agreed. …show more content…
Everywhere I looked, groups of students were practicing their speeches, reviewing their evidence, or simply listening to pep talks from their coaches. It seemed nothing like a sport. Clearly my type of environment.
“Gladynel, do you have a flow sheet?” asked Mr. O.
“Um, yeah I guess.. what is that?”
“It’s okay, you will do fine. You have it in you.” whispered Shakira, my partner.
I was positive that I was going to let her down, and that I was going to lose this round like everything else I tried before.
After about an hour of reviewing the evidence cards, the rounds were finally posted. As I walked up the steps toward the room we were assigned to, my hands began to sweat and my muscles became tense.
“Are you okay?” asked