Laura Hare
Age: 12
St. Amelia School
Tonawanda, New York

An athlete is a person who is trained in exercises of physical strength, speed and skill. An athlete is especially one who participates or competes in games requiring agility and stamina. This definition of an athlete is missing a few important details. An athlete is someone who strives to always give 100% all the time. An athlete is someone who plays the game just to play. Most of all, an athlete is someone who has the quality of sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is a quality of good conduct towards the players (on both teams), coaches, and officials. To have good sportsmanship a person must play fair, honorably, by the rules, and they must encourage their teammates. I come from a very athletic family and I have been playing sports since I was 5 years old. Participating in athletic activities has helped me become a better person. Most importantly, participating in athletic activities has helped me become an individual. It helped me become the person I am today.

I started playing sports when I was five years old. I started off with soccer. I played in the Town of Tonawanda recreational league. Through the years I progressed through many sports like gymnastics, t-ball, tennis, softball, basketball, and volleyball. Today I continue to play softball, basketball, and volleyball. While all of this took place I was still playing soccer. I wouldn't give up playing soccer for the world. Soccer is my favorite sport. Soccer is my life. Although I have played and am currently playing an overwhelming amount of sports, each sport influenced my life in some way.

Both softball and basketball taught me that everything in life wasn't always going to be easy. When I made Varsity basketball, I knew that I wouldn't start in games because I was the only sixth grader on the team. Every practice I gave everything I had for each drill. Then on the first game of the St. Gregory's tournament, I started. I learned that hard work does pay off. In softball I wanted to be the starting pitcher, so I went to a pitching camp and I practiced in my backyard almost every day. Then one Thursday evening I started. My coaches were so impressed by my fast pitching that they nicknamed me "shooter." I worked and worked and finally I made my dream into a reality.

I think that soccer has influenced my life the most. A lot of people think that soccer is an easy sport. If they could see how much hard work and dedication it takes to play soccer. I'm sure they wouldn't say that any more. I think that because of soccer I am who I am today. In fifth grade all of the other girls would talk nonstop about cheerleading tryouts. I thought all of this talk was ridiculous. When tryouts rolled around, I felt like I had to tryout. I tried out and I was cut. I learned that everyone shouldn't feel the pressure to do something they don't want to do. From that point on, I didn't care whether I was in the "cool" and "popular" group. I was an individual. I could do whatever I wanted to do. I had the right to make decisions for myself. Ever since that day I have been a leader. I do not follow other girls, I follow myself. When all of the girls are wearing designer tops, I am wearing an old soccer jersey. While all of the other girls stand on the side-line practicing their cheers, I play basketball with the boys and they think I am really good.

Soccer has influenced my life in many ways and because of soccer I have changed my opinions on almost everything. I would say what I felt was right instead of agreeing on everything the other girls said. Instead of growing up and becoming a model, I was the only girl who wanted to be the next Mia Hamm. On the day I started playing soccer, I thought I was an ordinary girl. After I was cut from the cheerleading squad, I realized that God had made me special after all. I was a soccer player. I was the only girl who loved gym class above all of the other classes. Since I am always playing a sport, I earned the title "the girl jock." I'm proud of who I am and because I am different, I am a leader. I am the special girl who loves to play sports.