Great Expectations by Mara

Great Expectations by Mara - February 2017 Scholarship Essay

When one thinks of Great Expectations, the Charles Dickens novel that everyone had to read in 9th grade usually comes to mind. While I am nothing like the main character, Pip, I have dealt with the great expectations that have been placed on my life by others. For as long as I can remember, I have been hounded with, “Where do you want to play in college?” and “Are you trying to pursue soccer long term?” After playing premier level soccer for many years, winning the Bailey Middle School Athlete of the Year, and even making my email mmsoccergirl@gmail.com (no regrets), it seemed that my identity had been carved out for me, and I BELIEVED it. What was not to love about these notions? I was getting noticed as a local soccer star and it appeared that hard work was paying off. I was making the same high level team year after year since age eight, and I was destined for athletic greatness. . . or at least that is what everyone thought.

Then it happened. What started off as an ordinary March evening after soccer tryouts soon became a catastrophic one in the Murphy household. My mom refreshed her email and received some news that contradicted everything I envisioned as a reality. I unfortunately did not make the top-tier travel team that I had grown up spending countless hours dedicating my time to—this couldn’t be. Oh, but it was true! After blinking for long periods of time and putting on reading glasses, I had to let my new fate sink in; this happened, of course, after some temper tantrums and lengthy crying. As it turns out, I was placed on the older age, lower level team. I was informed that it “was for development purposes, you are still a good player” from three or more coaches; however, I was having none of it. When you grow up in a sport like soccer, “development purposes” is basically a sugar-coated way of saying you are not good enough. Now, what was I to do? Everyone expected me to be a top-level athlete. The great expectations by others had me destined to be a college soccer player.

That’s when it hit me like a ton of bricks. These expectations of a collegiate soccer career were not my own. I had been living in a whirlwind of what others had to say about my talents; therefore, I barely had room in my head for my own thoughts. Reflecting back on my playing years, soccer was purely for fun and because I truly enjoyed the game. Did I really want to dedicate the time and effort needed to be a college soccer player? What goals did I have for myself? I soon became aware that MY EXPECTATIONS were, and still are, to be someone that is a jack-of-all-trades, harnessing exciting memories and exposing myself to a multitude of experiences.

Ultimately, I accepted the spot on the lower level but older age soccer team. I now have more time to become the person that I expect myself to be. I have joined new clubs and taken advantage of new opportunities. After taking a deeper look into my interests, I look forward to what is to unfold for my future. For starters, my email is now mara.murphy20@yahoo.com which embodies me in its entirety.

In retrospect, I have no regrets centering so much of my life on soccer. Thankfully, so many of my personal strengths, teamwork abilities, determination and work ethic were developed on the soccer field. However, I have now moved forward taking my strengths and unique experiences and turning them into my own great expectations.