I Didn 't The Only Child Essay

In high school, I was involved in volleyball, basketball, and softball. Throughout my whole venture, I had this one coach who followed me through every sport. Her name was Coach Lolly Arevalo. She was five feet tall, dark skinned, big green eyes, and a little muscular body, she had a masculine voice that terrified all the athletes every time she scolded us. “Do not stop till I blow this whistle,” those words motivated each and every one of us not to stop. The very first game I had my freshmen year in volleyball was a big, extraordinary moment in my life. When we walked into the gym that night to warm up before the other team arrived, butterflies began to flourish in my stomach as the excitement began to kick in. The bleachers were filled with people wearing red and white shirts, friends holding fan signs with your name, and family members who wanted to see you play the game you love. The excitement I was developing become even more known when the other team arrived. The girls looked as though they wanted to smash your face

When I joined the Upper Bucks YMCA gymnastics team my freshmen year, I did not realize how much of my life would have changed. I took gymnastics classes ever since I was six, and even though the coaches would pester me about joining the team, I never felt the need to participate in gymnastics competitively. It wasn’t until I began to practice with the team girls that I realized how much I was missing out, and I never regret the day that I became a member of the Upper Bucks gymnastics team. Not only was it a place where I challenged my gymnast abilities, where I learned what it meant to be healthy, and where I discovered the thrills of competition, but it is a place that I call my second home. I met girls of all ages coming from different

Growing up with a big family, sports have been a central part of each one of our lives. All four of my older sisters were involved in high school athletics as well. This allowed us to share something in common and was a great opportunity to bond with each other. No matter what hardships we faced, sports were there to help us come together. For example, when my dad was unemployed for two years he was able to come and watch all of mine and my sisters games. It really brought us closer as a family because we were always there supporting each other. Eventually, my parents no longer were able to pay the house bill with my dad being unemployed. Our house was then foreclosed and we had no other choice but to move. We moved into the town of Capac by the high school. Times were tough and money was limited, but we still made the most of our time together. We would all go to the softball fields at the school and play softball or a big game of football. Sports gave us something to bond over our whole lives and I’ll always cherish

The path of life is not always smooth. There are ups and downs, sharp bends and unclear turns. Sometimes you are so bent on your reaching your destination that you blind yourself to other opportunities that life presents. This was my predicament before I joined college- an overzealous academician who was eager to conquer his dreams. Therefore, it came as a surprise when I learned that apart from attending classes, I would be expected to participate in at least one sport co-curricular activity. This was my father’s personal policy. He took it upon himself to ensure that all his children developed their athletic skills. I fought against this ideology. I told him that I did not have an athletic bone in my body. I even complained that adults are not supposed to be told what to do. I argued relentlessly. Needless to say, I lost miserably. “Co-curricular activities help in the development of the mind and body,” my father insisted-and took it upon himself to explain to a belligerent me. He even offered to go with me to college to meet my coach. “I do not need babysitting,” I said grudgingly. He then gave me a handbook and asked me to pick my sport. I knew I had lost the fight. The sports offered at my college included: soccer, basketball, hockey, badminton, cricket, rugby, volleyball, and swimming. After much thinking and critical analysis of each sport, I decided to settle for

I work as a gymnastics coach at Trousdell Gymnastics Center. It is a recreational center that provides programs for all Tallahassee residents, specializing in gymnastics and exercise. The goal of this organization is to provide a safe and affordable program that keeps the community fit and engaged. They offer recreational gymnastics classes for boys and girls of all ages. There are also preschool and kindergarten programs for the younger children. On the other end of the spectrum there are adult classes that teach gymnastics and overall fitness. In addition, the gym offers classes for children with special needs. Finally, Trousdell offers a competitive gymnastics program for exceptional boys and girls. Three Olympic gymnasts have come through this program. Trousdell Gymnastics Center is named after a former Tallahassee Parks and Recreation Director Randy Trousdell, a man passionate about his community and the health of its children. Since it’s opening over 60 years ago the gym has impacted 500,000 children’s lives. I coach recreational classes for girls ages seven to fifteen years old. I begin every class by leading an extensive stretch and then we go to the events of the day where I set up stations for gymnasts to practice different skills. I end every class with conditioning to help the gymnasts grow stronger so that they can perform skills successfully. Trousdell Gymnastics Center coaches have a responsibility to these children. It is our goal to make the two hours a

Growing up in Louisiana I was surrounded by all kinds of different physical activities. All of my siblings were involved in sports and it was only natural that I developed a love for them too. As a child I remember going to the park to play basketball with my cousins or just playing football with everybody from the neighborhood. Sports became a huge part of my life, and I surrounded myself with people who loved them just as much as me. Things began to change when my family and I moved to Georgia. I noticed that I wasn’t playing football in the neighborhood anymore. The kids were different they would rather sit in the house and play video games instead of being outside. My love for sports was always there I just needed a spark to bring my passion back to life.

Growing up, my dad made sure that my brothers were involved in sports. Because he thought that football was too rough for them at a young age he signed them up for baseball. From then on out, we became a baseball family. Everything we did, all of our family friends were because of the sport. Even though, I did not play the sport, I still loved the game. It was the beginning of my seventh grade year when my dad informed me that it was mandatory that I participate in an extracurricular activity and because my dad was the authoritarian saying “no” to him was not a question. It was then that I decided to join a softball team.

Growing up, both my brother and I were very involved in athletics; from baseball/softball to basketball to football to track and volleyball. A competitive spirit was instilled in my life at a early age. As I got older, I focused mainly on softball; competing around the country in hopes of gaining a college scholarship. Sadly, the summer before my junior year I tore my rotator cuff and labrum in my shoulder and messed up multiple muscles throughout my arm and back. Therefore, my softball career came to an end.

From my first T-Ball team to my senior year track club, the comradery and confidence I have gained from competing on numerous sports teams has made an enormous impact on my life. Growing up, I went to a very small Catholic school. With less than 100 students in the entire school district. In third grade, our family moved to Manteno. Where each grade level had at least 120 students. Baseball and Basketball were crucial for me in my early years. It was how I became acquainted with most of my friends growing up in Manteno. If it wasn’t for competing on a team, I would have stayed timid for the rest of my life. With the confidence sports have gave me, I have been able to challenge myself to experience the world and all

Sneaking up on me, the end of my senior year is starting appearing, the most frequent question I get asked is,” What are you going to do after high school?” That question for me isn't a hard one--in fact, it is rather easy. At the age of 10, I knew I wanted to become some type of teacher, or someone in the medical field, I didn't know what exactly. At the age of 15 I was in an accident that helped me realize what I wanted to become.

At 10pm we sat silently in my mother’s car. I had just spent the entire day competing in a wrestling tournament, and not well I might add. I was frustrated, and ready to quit. My 8th grade wrestling season had been a disaster, and I decided I was done. But I had been wrestling for half of my life, for 7 years and my mother knew this was difficult for me. She looked at me and said, “Just give us one season of high school wrestling Justin. I have a feeling you will really like it if you just give it a chance.” I looked at her cautiously, “One season. Fine.” Ordinarily, participating in an extra season of wrestling wouldn’t sound serious, but I thought it was. Toward the end of middle school I weighed only 75 pounds; I was small for my age. In high school the lowest wrestling weight class is

Dave Pelzer is the survivor of the third worst case of child abuse in California's history. Dave grew up with his two brothers and two parents. Catherine, Dave's mother, loved to cook exotic meals for her family and decorate their home in creative and imaginative ways each holiday season. She was full of energy, often taking her kids on tours of downtown San Francisco while her husband was at work as a fire fighter, exposing them to Golden Gate Park and Chinatown. Once, while on a family camping trip, young Dave was watching the sunset when he felt his mother embrace him from behind and watch the sunset with him over his shoulder. "I never felt as safe and warm as at that moment in time," he recalls.

In the documentary, “The Price of Glory”, highlights the stresses and types of stressors young competitive athletes experience because of their ultimate goal: win a gold medal in the Olympics. One specific character in this documentary was a gymnast named Phoebe with an age of twelve years old. One of the youngest in the Mills family, she was sent to train in Houston, leaving her sister - Jessica (another child athlete) - and her family behind. Phoebe’s life as an athletic is primarily determined by her parents. Her parents drove her to focus purely on gymnastics, to be the best at gymnastics, and ultimately win a gold medal in the Olympics.

When I was younger, I wanted to experience as many sports as I could before I settled on “just” cheerleading. Being my biggest fan and supporter, my mom went all out (as she does with everything) and signed me up for swim team, gymnastics, dance, and tennis. I stuck with tennis the longest because I found that it was the most enjoyable – besides my beloved cheerleading. My family and I would agree that I was fairly good at tennis for a girl at the young age of only six. My coach complimented me by saying that I was talented and performed well; however, (ready for the zinger?) my coach also said tennis was NOT the sport for me. You read that correctly…he said I was good but that I should NOT play tennis. Wait…there’s more! He continued

Ever since I was little, I knew that something set me apart. In the playground, while my brothers played in the sandbox, I would be swinging on the monkey bars and climbing poles. While my friends enjoyed sitting around and talking during recess, I would play soccer and tag with the boys. I longed for something to challenge me and put my athletic skills to the test.