Childhood Skate Boarder

Over the next couple years, I had no interest in anything that had to do with baseball or the Red Sox as it would remind me ever so much of my grandfather who I had experienced so much of this game with. Skateboarding became my main focus, giving up all my skills I had acquired in my youth as a ball player, missing the most crucial years of baseball development as a pre-teen.  Once in a while I would hear from old coaches, but still had no interest. In October of 2003, I decided I would watch the Red Sox once again considering they were in the playoffs, only to be heartbroken by their dramatic extra inning loss to the Yankees in the American League Championship Series.  Once again, I could only think of my grandfather who I had such an attachment with over the Red Sox and the game of baseball.

Roller derby training was tough, mentally and physically. As I skated around the roller rink on the first day, for seemingly the 100th time, and I thought, “What the

Sports has always been a huge part of my life. I would be the one team player who took the sports season a little bit too seriously. I was the number 1 doubles player on my school's JV tennis team. Unfortunately, I fractured my ankle during my junior year and wasn't able to play with my team. I was devastated, but I didn’t allow myself to become disconnected from my team. I became the team manager to allow myself to still play a role in my team, despite my injury. I would record scores to my division leaders and take pictures to post on the website I created for my team. After the season was over, my doctor told me my ankles required surgery to become fully healed. I knew that meant I couldn’t continue to play tennis, but I didn’t want to give

Cutting bits of me that cannot handle the pressure and stress; developing pieces of the more disciplined me; testing my concentration; forcing my mentality to be flexible; enlarging the best of me: my determination, integrity, confidence, ingenuity, independence. Ultimately, skating leaves me more focused, more disciplined and more confident. It shapes my character, reminding me that success only feels worthwhile if it has a bit of blood behind it; skating tells me to try again, to keep working. Perseverance has been my grace. And as my skating career comes to a close, I have taken the time to teach those around me. The young skaters I teach think I am inspiring them, but they change who I am, altering me into a more caring, compassionate person.

This right here is a prime example of how making one decision to get back up after being knocked down can affect the way you are for the rest of life. I could’ve just been like I don't care this is way to hard i don't like doing any of this but I thought of all the positive like my dad had told me and what did it do to me; it made an athlete, it helped me get back into shape, it had made it possible for memories to be made with friends that are family the people who I play with for the remaining years of high school. Nothing that has happened to me has made

I felt my heart racing as I imagined making the top team in the club. I knew right then and there that I was going to try out for the team as soon as I discussed it with my parents. After my parents’ approval, I went to the first tryout with high expectations and aspirations. The tryout was going well at first; my skill was evident on the ice. I was making quick passes and skating hard. I will never forget the fateful pass that happened next. I remember the play in slow motion. I passed the puck through the center ice, a precarious move, but it was intercepted by the opposing team and as a result they scored a swift goal. Groans from the other players could be heard and my heart sank. That pass would determine my fate. After the tryout, I undressed slowly replaying the pass repeatedly in my head. Coach Ruben walked out of his office with the list of players who made the team in his hand. As he posted the list on the bulletin board, all the eager players ran over, examining the list of names. I stared at at the list for what seemed like an eternity searching for my name, but it was not there. I stifled my disappointment and followed my parents out to the car. To my ten year old self, my dreams were crushed and I assumed my hockey career was over before it even

As you go through life there are many things that shape you as a person, many things that you learn and grow from. I have experienced all of these from one thing, hockey. I started skating when I was about 4 years old, persuaded into the sport by my dad, who came from a big hockey family. I was so young I do not remember my first reaction to it or if I even liked it, but there must have been a reason that I stuck with it. Hockey has caused me much stress and tribulation but every second of pain is worth the reward.

It was my first year playing lacrosse and most of the other girls on my team had played for two to three years. Going into our first game, I had practiced with my stick and was fairly confident in my ability. However, when I stepped onto the field of my first lacrosse game, I was mistaken. The girls were much stronger than me and had obviously practiced much longer than I had. In one of the plays, I had the ball in my stick and was running down the field. I was so excited that I had actually touched the ball, I had forgotten to cradle. My defender quickly checked my stick and brought the ball all the way down the field to score. I was so mortified after my first game that I used my embarrassment as fuel to my fire. I practiced as much as possible and tried to always have my stick with me. Annoyed, my mother would always complain when I bounced the ball against the house to practice catching. I set the goal of score one goal in my season and leading up the championship game, I had still not netted one. In the car, my dad made me close my eyes and visualize myself scoring a goal. At the time, I thought this was silly and that it would not work! However, as I ran down the field with the ball in my stick, I cut to the center and beat my defender, just like I had envisioned. Frustrated, the defender slashed my stick in the 8 meter and I got a free shot. I could not believe that this was happening. I had a

Later that day I went home, I was so mad at myself that I told my parents and sisters that I won't do it ever again and that it was just a waist of my time, but to my surprise the next day I found myself at the bowling alley still struggling. During the practice the JV 1 coach came up to me and told me the most important thing in bowling “don't look at the pins, look at the second arrow”. It seems like nothing helpful but in reality it is. It's a small thing but it makes the game perfect. Thinking back I was close to quitting bowling but with one help from the coach my life changed completely. After two weeks of practice came the first match I was really nervous because I thought that other girls will make fun of me because I didn't get past 100, but in reality none of us did because we were starters first year bowlers we had a lot of things to learn to become better. In the middle of the season was another time where I was considering quitting, being a freshman I was asked to play with the JV team which mean the there are girls who are more experienced and have bowl for a year or even more. I was so nervous about again the judging me that I did really bad that math but the coach didn't give up on me yet, he wanted me to play for the rest of the season with his section, and that was the place where I learned the

career through my high school years until an injury brought my dreams of being a competitive gymnast

At the age of six I began my journey into the sport of Ringette. From age 3 I had been skating with girls figure skates and

It all started at 2, when my father bought me skates, and made a skating rink in my backyard. Then, I got into the sport, which at 6, I was nationally known, and people were lining up for autographs at 10, had interviews for magazines at 15, 17 he was in the WHA, then the NHL the year later. It was fast, how I moved through my life, but I couldn’t think of a life different life like it.

When I was eight years old, I played my first season of soccer. The real reason I played soccer was because my dad forced me to play. I loved to play all kinds of sports such as basketball, baseball and football but I was never interested in soccer. After my first practice I already realized soccer was not for me. I told my dad that I did not want to play anymore but he would not listen and made me keep going to practice. At my 3rd practice, the whole team was running laps and I tripped over a stick and fell down. My ankle was hurting pretty bad but I knew I was going to be fine. While I was lying on the ground, I thought to myself If I tell the coach and my dad that my ankle is hurt really bad than I won’t have to play anymore. I thought it was a genius idea at the time. I told them just that and it worked! I have no idea how my dad knew this but once I got home he knew that I was milking my injury. He told me something that night that I won’t ever forget. He told me “you didn’t just give up on yourself, you gave up on your team”. He called the coach the next day and told him that

Failing to make to the JV soccer team has been one of most impactful moments of my life, and it has changed the way I approach athletics and life outside of sports.

I remember the feeling that I felt when I first stepped onto the track that summer evening. This tournament was something different then any other event I had been apart of in my previous years. There were over 10 junior teams alone and I was so honored to be one of those lucky 10 teams. The crowd was packed with friends, family, and derby fans of all ages. The tournament took place at a hockey stadium and as soon as I skated out onto the polished concrete I expected to feel like a ferocious hockey player. Although I expected to feel like a strong and scary hockey player, I instead felt like a terrified beginner skater who had no idea how to control their feet. Being scared is a complete understatement to how completely terrified I felt. Not only did I practically forget how to roller skate all together, but I was so in shock and nervous that I could barley even remember what sport I was supposed to play. I stood at the edge of the track watching the junior Angel City team from L.A. warm up. Angel City’s junior roller derby team is definitely called “Angels” for a reason. All of these girls are gorgeous, talented, and fantastic athletes, all of which I could tell simply by standing there frozen on