Personal Narrative-Desert Spirit School

this, this was just the means to an end, nothing more. The dark grey clouds hung

There’s one decision that I’ve made that I’m still carrying out; meaning, I’m still not certain whether it was a good one or not. My decision was to come to Squaw Valley Academy. I did not want to go to my local high school as the education system wasn’t the best a couple years ago. It still isn’t but occasionally I wonder if I made the right choice. By going through with this decision I have changed a great deal. I have been at this school for almost two years now, and I’m definitely not the same person that arrived here. Going back home I realized how different I was from my old friends, and how much more mature I had become.

Being at the Chief’s Academy has been a great experience for me. I have learned many things during my time here that I will take back to my unit and apply to my day-to- day work. In the following paragraphs I will talk about three things specifically. The first thing I will take back will be my dedication to working out and my overall fitness. I will take what I have learned about fitness and share it with my subordinates. Secondly, in relation to the generations class, I will think about how people are different and how they come from different places and how I need to adjust my self to those differences. Lastly, I will take what I have learned about coaching and use that to better understand my people by listening and asking thought provoking questions. Even though I have learned many things, these are the three that I believe I will

I looked at coach and then tried a few times and didn’t make it over the net. I kept trying but still I couldn’t make it no matter how hard I hit the ball. Hit after hit, I watched the ball come into contact with the net. I did not have enough strength to make it over. I wanted to give up, but Mr. Robison came over to me and helped me not to back down.

In late August 2015, I spoke with Corey over the phone about what needs to be done in order to facilitate a non-profit line of literature for the group. Calling him from my cellphone, I said to him halfway our phone call, “Corey, let it be assured that this idea of mine is a ‘kill two birds with one stone’ proposition, which has the potential to solve our group financing and publicity handicaps.” Then he responded to me by saying, “I honestly do think it is an interesting proposition and would like very much like to see what can be done to get Fire of the Spirit in a position where we can actually do just that. I want you to know that I really do value the hard work and determination which you bring to FOS. I really want to do whatever we can to make this new venture for Fire of the Spirit a reality but it is going to be a lot of work and I will need your help to make it possible.”

Writing this Professional Project required some deep soul searching while deepening my spirituality to train the veterans of Tabernacle African Methodist Episcopal Church to become Disciples of Christ. Completing the nine training sessions will be beneficial for the congregation. A selection of a Steering Committee from the various boards within the church will assist me with the effectiveness of the Professional Project. Teaching the veterans about The Fruit of the Spirit will strengthen my spiritual walk with Christ as well. Each branch of the military has military core values and a comparison will be made with each Fruit of the Spirit during the training process. Presentations and workshops on The Fruit of the Spirit will undergird

To help one who does not have the tools to help themselves provides me with an immeasurable amount of fulfillment, a state of mind which I’ve found impossible to come in contact with through sports. I can only look forward to the years to come, each day is one closer to achieving a reward fulfilling enough to last me for the rest of my life. I know that one day I will be the doctor examining a pregnant mother in search of the young girl practicing her penalty kicks against the side of the uterine

I was ready — even the freezing rain could not stop me nor smother my excitement. My eyes were set on the ball, and I concentrated on what was happening on the soccer field. As I was thinking one play ahead and looking for the possible passes from my teammates, the next thing I remembered was that I tripped over myself without even having the ball. I had no time to laugh at myself, but I got up the next second, laid my eyes back on the ball, and ran my tail off to receive the pass. I promised that I’ve only done that once in the season — tripping without a ball, but it was definitely a highlight in my soccer career that added some funny elements to a road of hard work, learning, and determination. Every practice, I’d drill in the basic skills

I moped my way over to the JV squad to take my place among the other unskilled players. However, I practiced and worked to be the best I could be, regardless of the weather or season. I spent every other weekday of my summer attending an elite-soccer training camp. We practiced in torrential downpours and in the blazing hot sun and, I forced myself to every, two-hour session, even when my body told me I could not handle any more. I sold my summer vacation to my love of the sport, for, on my off-days, I would push myself to practice a different aspect of the game. I worked on my shooting for hours on Tuesdays, making sure I could get the ball in the air and on target. Thursdays I focused on my footwork, teaching myself the most effective ways to get around an opponent. Then, Saturdays I concluded my week with a three mile run. I did this routine all eight weeks of my summer. Many coaches had told me in order to get better I would need to have determination and “put in the effort.” My sophomore year arrived, and I earned my spot on the varsity team, eventually becoming one of the top scorers. The following year we lost a group of our seniors, the goalie included. Experienced and for the many, I then transformed from the goal scorer my sophomore year to the goalkeeper my junior year. My failure in my freshman year had been an inspiration for my success; it gave me an edge over others on team. Initially, I wanted to be the best; however, I quickly learned that hard work and dedication are paramount. This year, I, along with my fellow teammates, marvel at how that little freshman has grown to be the senior captain of the

First, after high school my plan is to attend at Santa Ana college. For right now I'm still deciding on what I want study for. In the future I will find a academy I want to study for. I wanted to attend at occ but I don’t have the money to go and pay for the classes. I wanted to join culinary arts at occ but again I can’t afford it, so that’s why I rather be at sac and get free education. While being at santa ana college i'm just going for my 2 years and then join culinary arts after.

I inhaled deeply and smelt the freshly cut grass and the newly painted field that had barely any time to dry. I looked over at my teammate on the far right and nodded signifying that she would receive the ball from the middle player then pass to me. The whistle blew. I sprang into action. I sprinted towards the goal with every ounce of adrenaline I could muster. My teammate passed me the ball exactly like we planned. I dribbled towards the target with my head up, a skill my father always reinforced. My heart began pounding as I ran up to the opposing team's intimidating defense. They ran towards me, trying to overtake the ball from me. I ran as far as I could with the ball until I was surrounded by the defense, then I quickly passed it into the middle. The defense swarmed in the direction of ball as I dashed to the goal. "Pass it! I'm open!" I yelled to my teammate who currently had the ball, another skill my father would be proud of. She passed it across the field, and the defense began running to me. I saw the goal. Time seemed to stop. In that second that seemed like an eternity, it was just me, the ball, and the goal keeper. I looked across the goal to the right hand corner. "Take the shot!" I heard my dad scream from the stands. I collected all my strength and took the shot. My heart throbbed with anticipation as I looked at the ball fly towards the goal.

Ever since I can remember I’ve lived life with a ball at my feet. I started playing soccer when I was three, fell in love, and never looked back. Most of my childhood memories consists of sweaty shinguards and weekends spent at soccer complexes and hotels all over Texas. I was learning how to kick, pass, and shoot, before I knew how to read or subtract. I wouldn't be the person I am today without the influence of the coaches and friends that I have met throughout my soccer career. The late night practices, aching muscles, and long car rides have all added up to create the person I am today.

The classic tone of my alarm woke me up on another sun-drenched day. It wasn't just any day… it was the day I was finally going to prove everyone incorrect. It was the final soccer match of the season for The Panthers. When I joined the squad , the other kids and even the coach thought I was in the wrong sport. They said I was too short and small and would get stepped on like a plant. I spent the whole season being treated like an ant. In the beginning I pronounced that by the end of the season, I would prove everyone wrong with the capability of diligence. Every day after school, I came home with the motivation to improve. I practiced for hours, trying to enhance my skills in soccer like mastering concepts in math. I performed drills for dribbling, passing, shooting, speed, strength, and a million other

Though I felt professional, I played like a rookie. I probably tripped over the ball an upwards of twenty times. I perfected bouncing right back up, but it wasn’t enough to get me off the bench. It was then that I resolved to work. I concentrated in practice, and watched all the other kids who seemed to know what they were doing. Not everyone was worth watching though, as they didn’t possess my determined mindset. They were lazy and walked often, chatting instead of listening to our coach. Now, I realize that we were mostly all distracted, uncoordinated pre-teens with limited ability with an overly nice coach, whose lack of discipline translated onto our impressionable brains. But I have gone the roundabout way, simply put, we had no experience and neither did our coach. The inexperience of youth is a valid excuse, however, because when you reach a certain age, you should accumulate a certain kind of wisdom. If you don’t retain such wisdom, you shouldn’t try to teach as you cannot teach what you do not know. 0The middle school coach, at the time, didn’t understand this concept and fumbled about with the ball just as we did, except with lumbering, heavy steps like the resident giant of the soccer pitch. Our season went terribly: we lost almost every game by slaughter rule. Nobody really wanted to play us, as we didn’t provide any

Life is full of situations that require some movement of the pieces to achieve something workable. Every day in Calculus, I stare at the page until I can find some way to begin the problem. I will try anything until I find the right edge pieces to work towards to the answers. In soccer, I play in the center of the field and my job is to be the brain. I see the second pass before the first is made and find a way to manipulate the players and the ball to get the outcome we want. My job is mentally exhausting, but every game it’s a new puzzle—and that’s why it’s