Personal Narrative: My Brain As An Athlete

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.

From the age of three, my life was nothing but Hockey. With a father who was a hockey player and a brother 3 years older already playing hockey, it was clear which sport I was going to get into. Once I started walking, my parents put me on the ice to learn the game of hockey. I instantly fell in love and I have continued playing to this day. Once it came time to play high school hockey, it all got serious. I was a freshman on the varsity team with my brother, who was a senior at the time. This was nothing but an emotional year for me, it was my first year in high school and my last year to play on a team with my brother. Once my brother graduated, he decided to go onto Juniors hockey, which is what I would do once I graduated. By the time I graduated high school, my brother would exceed the age limit for juniors hockey, so

Balancing my academic priorities with my love of field hockey has taught me that I know myself well enough to take on difficult tasks. My experiences thus far in life have given me an appreciation and understanding of how to best challenge and organize myself in a way that helps me to succeed in my endeavors. I know that I will be able to translate these abilities into my future academic pursuits and my professional life. Field hockey will continue to help me to grow, de-stress, and maintain

What is the only thing harder than disciplining a dozen ten year olds? Disciplining them on ice! All throughout my life I’ve played sports, and no matter what sport it was, there was always one person who seemed to have it out for me…the referee. The referee is one of the most hated people in the world of sports, but is also one of the most crucial. I grew up with the mindset that the referee was the enemy. Whenever they made a call against me or my team, they were always wrong, no matter how obvious the penalty was. But one day, my whole perspective on referees changed---the day I became a referee.

I played goalie the entire season and grew exponentially. High school season rolled back around and the chance came once again. I ended up playing mostly field because that’s where they thought I was best and they needed me most. I was torn because my skill in one position would increase while the other would rust. Club season was here and the coach knew of my talents as a goalie.

After waiting three weeks, I was finally cleared to play basketball again only to suffer another one. I was out after receiving an elbow to the head in a previous game giving me my first concussion. Walking onto the court at Eden Valley High School, I could feel the nerves rush through my veins. The whistle blew and the game started. I was going up to grab a pass when an opponent ran into me. Black. In those moments I was unconscious, I could only remember colliding with my opponent. I woke up in a car, my head aching as I sat up and saw bright beams of light off the street lights. The light stung my eyes and made me feel like the world was spinning a million miles per hour. “Stay awake sweetie we are almost home,” whispered my mom. Every heartbeat thumped in my head like a bass with the music to loud. I was so discombobulated and hurt I just laid there in the back seat

In elementary school I had stopped playing soccer because I hated running and I was unwilling to play any other sport my parents would ask me to try. Basketball and baseball seemed to have too many rules and were too complicated for me. At the end of the school year we would always get a flyer to join the Haymaker Swim Team. I hated this flyer because my mom would ask me every year to join the team and every year I said no. I was too nervous and unsure about joining a team with new people and experiences.

Constant running and never ending judgement from those around me. Yet, this did not make me stop. I challenged my teammates and coaches belief that I could not play and quickly became one of the most used players on the team. I nearly made the varsity team and started several games on Junior Varsity. I played amongst those who doubted me and became one of them. I became a soccer player, I learned to lead those around me, adapt to an environment I had yet to encounter, and how to change people’s opinion about me. It was the proudest moment of my adolescent life when the coach said an amazing heartfelt speech about how I would challenge both him and myself everyday at practice because I wanted to prove to those surrounding me I deserved to be playing on the pitch amongst them. The decision I made to go out for a sport I had never played my junior year of high school is by far the turning point of my life, I truly believe it changed me and gave me another dimension to my complex personality. I gave me an experience unlike that of any other person because I am not a natural athlete, I am just a child who has been doubted but has destroyed that doubt over and over

My plans when I get older where like every other child's. I want to be in the NFL. To get where I am you have to start at a young age. I showed up at practice everyday and on time. I also studied the play sheets and went through all my routes. I studied day and night to be where I am. It wasn't easy. There was no time to play games get in trouble do drugs or hang out with friend on an everyday bases. You have to tighten up be a man. It's not like I woke up one day and I was starting running back I had to do what's right stay in school not miss a day because that one day could have been the most important day ever and I wouldn't have even known. You know why?? Because I was and didn't show up to school. Don't be that person I used to be.

It initially was not easy to transition sports after playing soccer my freshman year, however, playing field hockey made me realize that sports should be played to feel positive about yourself and create memories while doing so. Through field hockey, I was influenced by the idea that sports should be therapeutic and rewarding, and not

I am not like other people where I’ve had difficulties with my family but I have had one major struggle that has impacted my life. It did not affect me for just one summer it will be affecting me for the rest of my life. The exceptional hardship I have had was when I broke my leg in five places and had to overcome the difficulties of getting better. It was such a difficult experience because it affected my love of playing basketball. However, that experience led me on my path in pursuing a career in Sports Medicine. Breaking my leg was awful but it helped me think about what I wanted to study when I go into college.

The athletic training program at my school, many times our supervisor would let us take the lead when it came to treating a patient and diagnosing them. The biggest obstacle I face through this was doubting my confidence. One time as we were on watch during a game, a player had fallen and was in great pain. I was the next in line to go with the trainer to help the player, when we approached I began to feel my confidence dwindle. Yet I knew I had a duty to the player and was able to overcome this barrier.

It was a warm summer morning on August 28, 1998 when my mother went into Sioux Valley hospital to give birth to a baby boy. After an agonizing 15 hours in labor, I was born. They named me Bryce meaning “Nobel One.” My full name was Bryce Jay Edberg, I got this middle name after my father, which his middle name was also Jay. Being born at exactly 4:03 a.m., with a staggering 23 inch body and weighing 10 lb 4oz the delivery was nothing less then painful.

To become an athletic trainer, one must complete courses such as Human Anatomy and Physiology as well as other courses that pertain to this major. These classes will help in learning how the body functions. I will also have to pass the Board of Certification exam and must be CAATE certified I could also volunteer at sporting events to get to know the environment around the players, coaches, and spectators from a non-athlete point of view. This could prove helpful because an athletic trainer will constantly be around sporting events and usually close to spectators, coaches, and players alike.

Then came high school and all of a sudden it was clear I had two options. I could somehow try to become one of the cool girls and try my hand at cheerleading, or I could continue to pursue my love of sports. I elected the latter. This choice has left an everlasting mark. Participating in sports as an athlete has enabled me to cultivate knowledge, respect,