Personal Statement

I knew at an early age that baseball was my favorite sport. I still remember how excited I was to show up for T-ball games. My parents have taught my sister and me some valuable principles to live our lives by. These include take pride in being mentally present (don't just show up), always work hard and give more than 100%, and try to set a good examples for others to follow. It's also important to always remain dedicated to the team first (not just yourself), always keep a positive attitude no matter what happens, have respect for your coaches and teachers , and always try to enjoy what you're doing because you never know how long something will last.

These traits have proven to be very helpful to me so far in life, both on and off the field. I didn’t fully understand their importance when I was younger but I’ve grown to really appreciate what they mean now. In fact I have great respect for them and I try to apply these same key goals to everything I do especially when playing baseball.

I think I have a much different appreciation for baseball than most kids my age. Early in elementary school, I struggled with reading and writing. I still remember how frustrated I was in third grade because I couldn't read as fast or as easy as other kids. Then with help from my parents I was diagnosed as being dyslexia. This is a reading and writing disability I was born with that makes it hard to sound out letter patterns and words. A part of my brain processes words differently than most people. It doesn't make me less smart than someone else, it just means I process words differently than most kids. This bothered me when I was younger but now I'm kind of proud of it because I've learned to deal with this challenge and adjust to my strengths.

I'm lucky I have two great parents who always supported me through this and got me the extra help I needed from tutors outside of school. Thanks to them, especially my mom who is a teacher, I’ve worked extra hard with tutoring over the years and today I'm doing great. In fact I've consistently made the Honor Roll and the Principal's list my sophomore year and have a 91 overall average in my college prep classes.

Many famous people were dyslexic like Nolan Ryan, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and several U.S. presidents, so I know this won’t hold me back. It actually motivates me. I try to think of it as a gift and not a disability. Dyslexia is a challenge I face every day. Finding ways to be successful has taught me the importance of hard work and dedication which carries over to my success on the field. How I play baseball and how I overcome my challenges with dyslexia are equally important because my success with one leads to my success with the other.

I see myself as a dedicated, hard-working athlete who believes what’s best for the team always comes first. My coaches, friends and teammates tell me they see me this way too. I was very proud when my teammates chose me as captain of my freshman and sophomore teams. I work hard to be a role model on and off the field and I know I will be an asset to any college team.

I always give it my all -- win or lose -- and to treat the game with respect. I’m a big-time Phillies fan and my dad always reminds me of what Phillies pitcher Tug McGraw used to say, "Ya Gotta Believe." That has really stuck with me over the years because it really sums up in only a few words all the key points my parents taught me. Believe in everything you do and most importantly believe in yourself.