|
2000 WINTER ACHIEVERS
List and Winning Essays of Winter Achievers
Winners (click on name to view essay):
Elizabeth
Ruggiero
Many people say that sportsmanship is a lost
art that will disappear as other values have. Participating
in competitive swimming and softball has taught me that sportsmanship
is still alive and valued today. Sportsmanship has helped
me become a better person because I have learned to develop
the following values that I can use in areas other than sports.
Trust - Through sports I have learned what
trust really means. I trust my coaches to help me set reasonable
and realistic goals for myself as well as teaching me the
techniques necessary to be successful in my sport. I also
trust my teammates to encourage me and not to criticize me
if I make a mistake or when I am not successful. I have learned
to think of my team as we not me. They can trust me to give
them the same support and courtesy. I know I will not be successful
in school if I don't trust my teachers and it's very important
to trust my parents and to know that they trust me.
Respect - I have learned to respect the rules
of the game as well as my coaches, teammates, opponents and
officials. Respect includes not ridiculing, being sarcastic
or putting others down. It is important to respect opponents
by not gloating over a win, complaining about a loss, or arguing
a call an official has made. This has helped me to be more
in control of my emotions when I am with my friends, parents
and teachers.
Responsibility - As a member of a team it is
my responsibility to try my best at all times, give my coaches
the respect and attention they deserve, attend all team practices
and activities, respect the rights of my teammates, work hard
to perfect my skills and techniques, and give 100% of myself
at all times. This has taught me that I also have a responsibility
to my family and teachers. At home it is my responsibility
to keep my room clean and organized and to help with chores
around the house. In school, I have the responsibility to
work hard in order to achieve the best grades possible. I
have also learned not to be afraid of taking on responsibility
and doing more than my share.
Fairness - It is extremely important to always
play fair, play by the rules of the game and give everyone
a chance. All members of a team should be treated fairly and
no one should be treated differently just because they are
the best athlete or star of the team. I have learned that
everyone deserves an opportunity to try even if they aren't
as good at the sport, in a certain subject, or activity as
someone else. There is always going to be someone who is better
than we are and we are always going to be better than someone,
but in all fairness, everyone should be given the chance to
participate, to contribute and to improve.
Caring - Learning to care about teammates as
I would care about myself is a very important part of competitive
sports. Participating in athletics has taught me that everyone
makes mistakes or has bad days. Teammates should learn to
encourage each other to build self-esteem to show that they
care. Throughout our lives, we will have opportunities to
care about many things, including people, our homes, the environment,
and our communities. It will be easier to care as an adult
if we learn how to care when we are children.
Participating in sports has helped me to excel
in school because I have had to learn to manage my time more
efficiently. It is not possible to spend many hours a day
at practice and maintain good grades in school if I spend
time watching TV, listening to music or chatting with friends
on line or on the telephone. I know my workload in high school
and college will be more than it is now and if I learn not
to waste time now, it will be easier for me later on. I have
also learned how to deal with success and failure. To win
is great, to play is greater, but to love the sport is the
greatest.
Back To Top
George Cuevas
"How Athletics Have Helped Me"
Participating in athletics has helped me to
excel in different parts of my life. Athletics have allowed
me to interact with many people who are different then me,
and who lead different lives then me. In team sports it brought
us together and made us act as one. A team sport that I participate
in regularly is soccer. I have played this for about nine
years now, and know a lot about the game. In soccer, no one
person can win the game alone. It takes a team effort to be
successful. Soccer has helped me to know that you can't do
everything yourself, and no one person can win it for you.
It has allowed me to realize that you can't do all things
by yourself. When I must do certain jobs, I remember that
I can't do it all myself, so I ask for someone to help me.
This takes some burden off of me, and allows the task to go
by quicker. By working as a team, you learn the importance
of getting along and supporting each other. This has helped
me to become a better person.
Another sport that I play a lot is golf. This
is a totally different type of game then soccer. It is usually
a one man game, but can be played with teams. Golfers need
much patience and concentration to excel in their sport. By
playing golf, I have learned to be patient and concentrate
on things. By being patient I can allow others who work slower
to go at their own speed, and not blow up at them for their
timing. It also helps me to keep my cool during many things,
such as when I don't understand something but need to learn
it, or when I am helping someone who doesn't understand. With
patience, you also can gain concentration. Concentration enables
you to focus on what you are doing and so a better job at
it. It also can help you teach others when they don't understand
something, because if you concentrate, you can figure out
a way to explain it to them. These two things are key in getting
along with others who are different then you.
The most important thing I have learned from
athletic activities are sportsmanship and respect. In order
for people to treat you nicely or like you, you must show
them respect. If you don't then you will get no respect from
them in return. These things help you in life to treat people
better, and they in return give you the same respect. It allows
you to work easier for everyone, and lessen the amount of
time spent. Another thing I have learned is teamwork. They
go along with everything else athletic activities have taught
me. Sports have definitely helped my life, and I will continue
to play them for as long as possible.
Back To Top
Megan Lee
Achievement through Sports
On a hot night, I was the pitcher for my team.
I was playing to win the championship. I went in at the start
of the game. I was nervous because I was playing a good team.
After my warm-up pitches, the game began. My first pitch went
right down the middle! "Strike", yelled the umpire.
I was very excited.
After that, the innings flew by. Before I knew
it, the last inning had come. I was nervous because my teammates,
coaches, and my parents were counting on me. I walked one
run in, but I got my rhythm back. After a little while, it
was a 3-2 count with 2 outs. I threw the ball and it landed
in the glove. After a couple of seconds, the umpire yelled,
"Strike three."
My team went crazy, and they all jumped on
me. I was so happy. The faces of my teammates, coaches, and
friends were wearing the biggest smiles I had ever seen. When
I saw my parents, they told me how proud they were of me.
I knew then, that of it wasn't for everyone who supported
me, I couldn't of done what I did.
I think that my experiences as a softball player,
such as the one I described above, as well as those while
playing basketball have helped me to become a more confident
person. I am not afraid to try new things and to be my own
person. An extra bonus is that I have made so many friends
through sports. They are friends that enjoy doing the same
things I do. I have also had some wonderful coaches and supportive
parents who have taught me the true meaning of commitment
and sportsmanship. They have helped me learn how to deal with
failure as well as success.
Even though most of us don't even realize it
while we're out there on the playing field, sports is preparing
us for real life. In school, work or play, you must have self-confidence,
determination, and social skills to succeed. You have to want
to try your best and work hard to accomplish your goals. You
have to be a team player and a friend to everyone. Whether
they are on your team or the other team, we are all on the
same team in the game of life.
If we are to make the world a better place,
we are going to have to work together. The future depends
on us, and a positive sports experience can show us the way.
Back To Top
Brett Siani
Nominator Essay
The athletic director handed Brett and me this
application saying, "I think this would be great for
you to submit; who knows, Brett might be chosen." Brett
and I took it home and went on-line to learn more. We discussed
it and decided to go for it! After all, due to Brett's experiences
in sports since he was four and half years old, I probably
could write a best selling novel on the subject of athletics,
and the wonderful impact it's had on his development as a
person.
Brett's athletic talents were recognized at
a young age. He has taken this blessing, coupled with all
the positive advantages most youths reap from their involvement
in sports, and has soared personally and academically. Despite
the fact that he was born with a congenital, bilateral, and
profound hearing loss, he has proven that, except for being
deaf and not speaking normally, he is no different than his
peers.
The choice of living in the mainstreamed world
gives Brett a particular set of challenges. Being involved
in sports helps him meet not only these challenges but all
other challenges faced by young people growing up.
I strongly feel that Brett would never have
known his true self-worth if it weren't for his involvement
in athletics. His innate competitiveness and natural athletic
abilities were cultivated early. This cultivation continues
through the activities in which he participates: soccer, ice
hockey, baseball, and his extensive training in "Hwa
Rang Do." a martial art. The most noteworthy feeling
was his sense of accomplishment. This came in his fourth year
of his martial arts training when he performed outstandingly,
and passed the grueling six hours of Jr. Black Belt testing.
He earned his black belt! He also achieved another title:
he was the first Deaf person to earn his black belt in "Hwa
Rang Do." To our knowledge Brett might also have been
the first Deaf black belt student in Suffolk County.
Brett is building his character by blending
natural talent with hard work, determination, pride and goal
setting. Sports give Brett confidence. He plays hard all the
time and fits in well with his teammates. He goes out and
shows people that he's capable of playing. He knows he has
to work harder, because of his disability, sometimes two or
three times harder than anyone else, to accomplish his goals.
He is a well-rounded athlete and student. From his involvement
in sports he is developing lifelong skills of teamwork, cooperation,
communication, sportsmanship, tolerance, problem-solving and
sharing. The camaraderie he shares with his peers, teammates,
and coaches, and the memories he is making will last a lifetime.
Athletics definitely has helped define this young person.
Back To Top
Stefanie Weitzel
"The thrill of victory, and the agony
of defeat"……Sports can provide both of these emotions,
to be sure. But beyond winning and losing, participation in
sporting activities, at all levels, can provide so much more.
I have found this out first hand as my love for sports has
provided me with so many lessons and experiences beyond the
games themselves. These lessons, I have discovered, apply
not just in sports but also in the game of life. And all I
had to do was open my mind to their existence. My involvement
in three major sports, keeping me active almost year round,
has become another education beyond the classroom. I have
learned a truer meaning to such words as discipline, teamwork,
patience, friendship and dedication. I have seen more clearly
that setting lofty goals and then having the dedication and
discipline to try and achieve them often lets you succeed
beyond your expectations. Even if not achieved totally, these
higher goals helped me to develop more completely and come
closer or even surpass what I had previously aspired to achieve.
I have learned patience. Success does not come overnite but
needs to be at and nurtured. It is the strong and steady runner,
who constantly works to improve himself, that ultimately wins
the race. I have discovered that friendship and teamwork are
a wonderful combination. And that a "team" family
can resemble the closeness of your real family. Finally, involvement
in sports has taught me a great and valuable lesson - winning
is not everything. More importantly, it is the effort one
puts forth in all you do, not just in sports but also in life.
You can never fail if you have done the best you can possibly
do and given your best effort. For is not that how our success
should really be measured? Rather than trophies, reaching
one's potential is the real mark of not only a successful
athlete but also a successful human being.
It is without question that my involvement
in sports has given to me the "thrill of victory."
But what I see more clearly than ever, is that it has helped
me to mature. It has helped me to seek to strive for higher
goals and to realize more my self-worth. And lastly, my love
and participation in sports has given me the faith and the
belief in the idea of daring to dream, for you can never know
of just what you are capable of achieving until you try-both
on the fields of sport as well as in life.
Back To Top
Brian Purcell
Hi! My name is Brian Purcell and I play several
team sports. These include basketball, baseball, soccer, and
golf. This is basketball season but I love all sports, because
they are fun to play and they help me in everyday life. I
have learned orderliness and self-confidence playing sports.
Sports, whether on the field or on the court teach teammates
to help and rely on each other.
Each sport has rules just as in life there
are rules to live by. I have learned many of the do's and
dont's in daily living. There are do's and dont's in every
sports activity. Knowing the rules and doing my best to follow
them has helped me to appreciate the importance of having
rules to live by in society. Following the rules of the game
in the sports I have chosen to play also helps to build my
confidence. As my confidence increases my play will improve.
Coaching is a very important part of the game.
My coaches in each sport have taught me the basic moves and
patterns of play. The coaches care. They teach me and also
my teammates to strive to improve. My coaches have gone over
instructions again and again to help me develop ways playing
that can become routine. They teach us to execute properly,
to play team ball which means having the generosity to pass
to a teammate who is in a better position to score. This means
thinking team rather than of oneself. The basic patterns,
once they have become routine and comfortable allow me to
attempt other moves that are more creative. This adds to my
confidence. My coaches have stressed mental toughness and
helped me to accept direction and to accept correction. When
I listen to my coaches, I learn and whenever I am able to
put into practice what they have taught me, I feel good all
over.
Basketball in my life has taught me about self-respect,
helping others, discipline and being able to rely on my friends,
to appreciate myself but to know my limits. Sports participation
helps me to know myself better and to understand my teammates
more. I have been able to bring what I learn about cooperation
on the court to both home and school. I have learned the importance
of working with others and not against them. Playing sports,
I believe, has kept me out of trouble. That is something I
appreciate because staying out of trouble is very important.
Sports helps to keep me away from the people who can foul
up my life and drag me down. Sports are interesting, keep
me busy and lift me up.
Sports have helped me to get in shape physically.
I play basketball, for example, to keep my mind and body busy
and active. I have fun and can hang out with my friends. My
participation in sports has helped me to develop more determination
to win. Our basketball team is not very large in height but
we are fast, smart and get along great and that's what makes
us winners. My experience with sports has taught me how to
be a winner. It has also taught me how not to like losing
but to accept losing with grace. Sports activity has made
me aware of the necessity of perseverance. This means never
giving up even when my opponents are bigger, stronger and
more experienced. My goals are to play clean, play fair but
play tough.
In conclusion, sports participation plays an
important part in helping me to grow as a person, to help
others, rely on myself, and to focus my energy. It is also
another way to help me believe in myself.
Back To Top
Lauren Vilbert
Sports unlocked the shy timid girl inside of
me. I think that athletics, such as soccer, basketball, skiing
and skating, makes me a happier person because sports improves
my self-confidence. I love the feeling of running down the
court to try a make a basket. Sometimes I do; more often I
don't. But that does not deter me from trying again. Even
if I fail, sports teaches me that determination and hard work
is important to learning the strategy of the game, be it a
game of basketball or the game of life.
My involvement in sports compliments many living
skills that I may not learn in school. Sports teaches me teamwork
and honorable behavior. I learn to respect the other players,
and to work hard and good-naturedly together to achieve a
goal. Sports helps a girl, like myself, to feel good about
her accomplishments. We can demonstrate our ability to compete
equally on any playing field. When I play co-ed soccer, I
work and play well with the boys and the girls on my team.
This carries over in our schoolwork, because there are fewer
stereotypes among my classmates. Some girls are excellent
at math and science, and many boys are good in language arts.
We are free to express ourselves as individuals, and enjoy
our friendships on and off the playing field.
Sports helps me to focus on what is important
in life. In athletics, my mind opens itself up to new ideas,
hopes and dreams. I can see myself not only learning a new
skill, but also excelling on the playing field. At my age
it is important to have dreams, and sports places those dreams
within my grasp, because I can work hard to achieve my dreams.
What is more, I lose nothing because any form of athletics
is also great exercise. A healthy body guides a person to
lead a happy, well-balanced life.
Back To Top
Vickie Cook
"Use the talents you possess, for the
woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best."
A lot of my classmates, when encouraged to
join sports, say something like, "I'm not good enough
at this sport; I'll make a total fool out of myself."
That's when this quote seems to make good sense. It also reminds
me when I've had a particularly bad game, to say to myself
that it's just a game, and that I'll make up for it by trying
even harder the next game.
Playing sports over the years has affected
me in so many different ways. When I was younger I used to
play for the fun of it, for something to do. Now it's gotten
more serious. It's a whole team effort. If someone doesn't
show up for a practice, she lets the whole team down. Being
on a team makes everyone feel important, like they're actually
making a difference.
I've played basketball all my life. When I
was in 3rd grade, there was a program for 3rd through 6th
graders to play every Saturday at school. It was really good
for us to get out and do something healthy. It also gave us
experience that would help us later on in our sports career.
The coaches were all volunteers; no one was getting paid to
help us out. We learned the basic skills: dribbling, shooting,
pivoting, etc. I played this for all three years that I was
eligible to do so. I got a sense of how the game was played.
Ever since Junior High started, I've played
basketball, soccer, and softball, the three main sports our
school participates in.
Soccer has had a huge affect on my life. Soccer
requires responsibility, consistency, teamwork, and extreme
fitness. During my soccer career while I was in 7th grade,
I had a huge set back. I was diagnosed with exercise induced
asthma. For the rest of the season I couldn't participate
in any exercise what so ever.
Softball was a true adventure for me in 7th
grade. I never had played before, never worn a glove, or thrown
a ball. The whole team was new, even our coach. We had to
start from the way beginning of how to throw a ball, how to
catch a ball, what part of the glove to catch the ball in,
etc. She started out in a unique way: playing kickball. She
said that the two had basically the same rules, and since
we knew how to play kickball, this would help us out a lot
and it sure did. We only won one game, but we played hard
and we learned a lot. We learned how to be a team. That was
our goal and we reached it.
By the end of the season we were probably more
then ten times better then when we started out. It was evident
that this season had changed every one of us in so many ways.
I learned more about everyone on the team. I became a best
friend of one of the teammates. We all learned responsibility
and discipline. My grades went up, I had more of a positive
outlook on life itself. When my social life wasn't going good,
I looked forward to the softball practice that afternoon.
I took my anger out during that time. That anger would work
with me and help me throw the ball harder, run like I was
in a race, and be so much more determined.
I came to a particularly hard time in my life
during this season. With a personal problem, I didn't know
where to turn. I felt comfortable with my coach and so I went
to her. She was there for me and we talked and she made me
laugh and by the end of the day I was feeling a lot better.
What a great relationship to have between a coach and a player.
When everyone works together the success is unimaginable.
Has sports changed my life? Of course, it has.
I work harder now, I have goals that I set for myself, and
I accomplish them, I cooperate better with other people, I
set up strategies that work. I have great accomplishments
along with the setbacks. I manage my work better. I learned
that academics come before sports, but also that sports help
with academics. In short, sports shape a person's life. I
would be so much different without sports in my life.
As Robert Frost said, "The road divered
into two different paths - I chose the one less traveled and
it's made all the difference!"
Back To Top
Lenesha Williams
Nominator Essay
My name is Cris Knapp and I am a special education
teacher at Jefferson Middle School. I would like to nominate
Lenesha Williams for the "Winter Achievers" program.
Lenesha has been a student in my class for
four years now. Her family has at times struggled economically
and both her mother and father have encountered difficult
personal challenges along the way. When Lenesha first came
to Jefferson, she was disinterested in just about everything.
Her attendence was so poor that she was placed on probation.
She failed miserably that year.
The following year, she became actively involved
in Special Olympics. She participated in bowling, figure skating,
basketball, and roller skating. As she started to win in these
sporting competitions, she started to win in the classroom
also. Her grades turned around to almost straight As. Her
attendance has become excellent with absences due only to
illness.
Her mom has also acknowledged the change and
has made some changes herself. If Lenesha is out ill, she
will now call the school to let me know why she is not there.
She attends Lenesha's competitions, showing real pride in
her daughter's accomplishments.
Sports have made a very real impact on Lenesha's
life and that of her family. Because of them, she is one child
who will make it through school instead of dropping out at
an early age. They have given her a reason to feel good about
what she can do.
Back To Top
Robert MacClaren
What I Have Learned From Athletics And How it
Has Helped Me Grow
My name is Robert MacClaren and I am 11 years
old. I bowl in a league and I am a fencer. When I say I am
a fencer, I really mean it. I have been fencing since I was
5 and a half years old. I started fencing because I saw it
on television when the Empire State Games were on. My mom
says I told her I wanted to do that, fencing, and so my parents
took me to the Rochester Fencing Centre. The centre is almost
an hour from our house but I go there at least three times
a week now! I love fencing and all that it has done for me.
The centre is home to Olympic coaches and athletes.
I have learned a lot about the sport and I even traveled to
Atlanta to see athletes I knew in the Olympic Games. It has
been very rewarding as a sports experience. I hope I will
reach that goal too.
There are many important things that I have
learned from being an athlete. First, it has taught me that
respect and sportsmanship are important. Not just when you
are fencing or bowling but every time you talk or work with
another person. The rules of sports teach you how to be respectful
and how to accept and enjoy it when teammates or other people
win too. My coach demands that we be polite and respectful
and when you are taught to be that way it stays with you in
school and when you are with people. When you act that way,
other people treat you the same way. The teachers like it,
my peers like it, and my parents say they can take me anywhere
and I know how to act appropriately. It makes me very proud.
Of course I have learned how to take care of
my body and how to stay healthy. You can't be a good athlete
if you smoke, drink or take drugs, if you eat lots of junk
food or if you are a couch potato. I think that my good habits
will stay with me when I am older too and I will be in good
health for a long time thanks to sports.
Athletes have to work hard to succeed and win,
and that means I had to learn not to give up. Sometimes I
can't figure out how to do something the coach wants me to
but I have learned that if I keep trying I will get it. I
tell myself to do the same thing in school when I can't figure
out classwork, and it works! I am a straight A student and
I am ahead in many classes because I have learned to just
keep working on it!
Being an athlete has taught me that everyone
has strengths and weaknesses and that we can all help someone
else. I can learn from the older fencers and I can help the
younger ones. I liked doing this so much that I decided to
be a peer tutor too. It is great to see someone else learn
what you are teaching them. It also taught me patience because
sometimes they just don't get it and I know how the coach
feels when I don't get it, but he always keeps trying so I
do too.
Athletics has taught me a lot of things. I think
I am a better person because I am proud of my accomplishments,
I know a lot about myself, and I have learned how to respect
others. I don't think I would be the same person without the
lessons I have learned from my coaches, the other athletes
and the officials. I have grown physically stronger, I am
making good choices about my health, and I am doing great
in school because of the sports I am active in. I have met
people from all over the world and the USA and have traveled
to over 30 states to compete.
I think that being an athlete had helped me
grow into a great person and I hope every kid gets a chance
to feel the thrill of winning and the pride of doing your
best.
Back To Top
© 2001 Goodwill Games, Inc. All
Rights Reserved. Terms
of Use and Privacy Policy.
GOODWILL GAMES name, logos, and all related indicia are trademarks
of Goodwill Games, Inc.
|
|
