15 Jun 2016
Educational Goals Statement:
Although I struggled so much in school because of the results of my concussion, sports were always an area in which I excelled, and it is one of my true passions. I have played numerous sports including football, soccer, and swimming and I have been recruited to swim in college at the DIII level. My plan is to attend Grove City College in Pennsylvania where I intend to study entrepreneurship and theology. My future dream is to start sports camps for underprivileged kids and help them in both finding their strengths, and gaining confidence in themselves. Having participated in numerous mission trips throughout my middle and high school years, I have witnessed firsthand how sports can be a bridge between cultures and socio-economic differences.
Essay:
People talk about how your freshman year of high school defines you; how you will regret that terrible looking hair cut, your humongous backpack, and that awkward first homecoming dance. Little did I know in August of my freshman year, an unexpected event would redefine my life forever: a massive concussion.
Beginning at age nine I became an avid football fan, loved Peyton Manning, and dreamt about being drafted into the NFL. All of those dreams were crushed after my life-changing injury. Immediately when I was hit in a direct helmet-to-helmet crash, the players around me became blurred, my head throbbed, the light blinded me, and I was disoriented. After practice, I went to see our trainer because I just didn’t feel right. After a few tests, he confirmed that I had a concussion and I wouldn’t be able to practice for a few weeks. However, I remained hopeful that I would be able to return to playing football. In spite of my hopes, when I saw the neurologist, I received a drastically different prognosis. Shocked, confused, and angry, I zoned in and out as the doctor was telling me that it would be in my best interest to stop the very thing that defined my whole life.
From September to March, I angrily questioned God’s plan for my life. I struggled with school work, computer work, reading, and depression. Why had this happened to me? It was a dark time. But in March at a youth retreat with my church, it became clearer why everything happened. Over the past few months, God had been laying the idea of becoming a missionary on my heart. As I stood there one worship night, the events of the past few months came into focus; the only real satisfaction in life would be to help others, not in personal glory, or money.
People ask me all the time if I would change the fact that I played football, or erase my concussion away. My answer is no. The character qualities such as leadership, teamwork, perseverance, hard work, and humility that I acquired through my days of playing football have proven invaluable. Although many days I wish I still played football, I know that I learned so much more about myself through this experience of loss, such as how to rely on God through the trials in life and that my identity comes in Christ, not from football or any activity I do. I experienced the power of prayer, the power of support, and the power of God.
Now as I am looking toward college and life goals and aspirations, I strongly feel that I want to use my experiences to help others. I plan to pursue studying Christian Education and Business and eventually attend Seminary for graduate school. My goal is to someday become a missionary or be a youth pastor and possibly start sports camps on the mission field. I look forward to the opportunities to be able to give back to my community, and the world, by providing to others some of the same opportunities that helped shape who I am today.