Participating in Panther Athletics has had a tremendous role in making me into the person I am today. I have participated in volleyball, diving, and gymnastics over the course of my high school career. Participating in volleyball taught me so much about myself. It showed me how desperately I desire to succeed. After five years of participating in volleyball, I still had no idea what success looked like for me in that sport, so senior year I joined the diving team instead. Diving is terrifying. This sport challenged me immensely. Looking at the water, knowing that in five seconds I will be flying through the air and suddenly hear the loud smack of my skin hitting the surface and later cringing at the bruises the water left me with. In diving,
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I was scared of getting hurt, not being good enough for varsity, but most of all, I was scared that my mind would get in the way of my goals. Gymnasts are required to be mentally tough because if you’re not, you won’t make it. I cannot count the number of times I have fallen flat on my face, left blood on the bars after a bad rip, or left the gym bawling because I felt I disappointed myself or my team. All of these hurdles have made me stronger because experiencing them become worth it the second I stick a routine, or the moment my coach hugs me after I put my heart and soul into a performance, knowing that she is proud of what I just did. Someone is so genuinely proud of what I have accomplished. Bleeding, crying, sweating, and screaming over this sport is worth it because I know someone is proud of me whether that is a coach, my parents, God, or myself. Athletics have taught me to be proud of myself. Participating in athletics has influenced the way I view life. To me, life is a challenge. Life says, “No, you can’t get a 4.0”, or “No, you can’t travel the world”. It says, “No, you will never be good enough”. I say, “Game
I was scared of getting hurt, not being good enough for varsity, but most of all, I was scared that my mind would get in the way of my goals. Gymnasts are required to be mentally tough because if you’re not, you won’t make it. I cannot count the number of times I have fallen flat on my face, left blood on the bars after a bad rip, or left the gym bawling because I felt I disappointed myself or my team. All of these hurdles have made me stronger because experiencing them become worth it the second I stick a routine, or the moment my coach hugs me after I put my heart and soul into a performance, knowing that she is proud of what I just did. Someone is so genuinely proud of what I have accomplished. Bleeding, crying, sweating, and screaming over this sport is worth it because I know someone is proud of me whether that is a coach, my parents, God, or myself. Athletics have taught me to be proud of myself. Participating in athletics has influenced the way I view life. To me, life is a challenge. Life says, “No, you can’t get a 4.0”, or “No, you can’t travel the world”. It says, “No, you will never be good enough”. I say, “Game