Personal Essay Example: My Athletic Career

The vast majority of people around the world consider winning to be the most important component of sports. This is true at the professional level, but I believe that in youth sports, expressing yourself and creating memories with your teammates is even more vital. Throughout my life, sports have played a pivotal role in helping me effectively express and convey who I am to the outside world. This was something I have always battled with, and it enabled me to break free from my own personal confinement, similar to a chicken hatching from its shell. Sports took me out of my comfort zone and exposed me to a broad spectrum of people and situations which allowed me to grow as a person. That is why this piece is dedicated to all the young, shy kids looking to find who they truly are.

The origin of my athletic career was house league at a local academy called Power Soccer. They assigned me to a random team with kids I didn’t know, and games were played once a week. I was one of the best players on our team but rarely communicated with my teammates on or off the field. Once the season ended, I realized that I rarely ever celebrated or even talked with my teammates because I was too shy. This was the first time I understood how tentative I was to step out of my comfort zone. This resulted in my being extremely nervous in the future to break out of the shell I had enclosed myself in.

Throughout my adolescent years, I struggled with confidence. A depiction of this is when I applied for my first competitive soccer team at the age of nine. This team was called East York Soccer Club and it was a 45-minute drive from my home which shows just how eager my parents were to get me involved in sports. The coach of the team I was on trial for had revealed to my parents that I would be one of the best players on the team, which made me very anxious. This was because I was afraid of the attention, and simply wanted to blend in rather than stand out. Once we arrived at the stadium I was too shy to even start playing and eventually got my dad to drive me home. This reinforced myself and my parent's worry of me struggling to break free from my shell, something that is critical if I am to live a joyful and successful life

My parents weren't too impressed with me walking away from the last team, so they made me apply for one of my childhood friend’s team. When I arrived I was approached by my friend and a few of his teammates, which immediately made me more relaxed. I played superbly, and made the team after the first trial. Suddenly I was practicing with the team 3 times a week and I was not just getting better as a player, but I saw my confidence slowly growing. I was starting to speak up, and as the days passed I formed plenty of friendships with my teammates, helping me incorporate myself into the squad. This helped build my confidence and allowed me to finally break free from my shell without the fear of judgment from my peers.

After the positive experience I had with soccer I decided to branch out and try a different sport. I had always run track and cross country throughout elementary and middle school so I figured I thrive at a running club. My first practice came with the usual nerves when you try something new, but I was much more comfortable meeting new people as I had already built up my confidence and social skills. Everyone there was very amicable and I made some great friends. Although I eventually decided to leave the running club to focus on soccer, I left with many friends that I still communicate with to this day. Sometimes I reminisce about this experience, and how it showed me that I had fully broken free from my shell and overcome my social anxiety.

These experiences have shown me how sports are extremely effective at helping you find your confidence and express yourself. Throughout my sporting career, I have seen a drastic change in terms of my self-confidence and character, allowing me to break free like a chicken hatching from its shell. Sports worked miracles for my self-confidence and shyness as a kid, and I know they can do the same for others. This is why I hope this story has inspired anyone reading that is devoid of confidence and self-esteem to try a sport, for both the athletic and mental side.