"Make your mark. Be an inspiration for others and lead the way." by Marcus

"Make your mark. Be an inspiration for others and lead the way." by Marcus - November 2018 Scholarship Essay

“Make your mark. Be an inspiration for others and lead the way.” I would have chosen this to be my senior quote in high school. This reflects my life and time in high school and everything that I overcame or was faced with, and how it made me an inspiration for others. I was faced with many challenges academically and athletically and I learned how to overcome them throughout high school. I believe my accomplishments did not only inspire me, but I believe they inspired others as well. My wrestling career reflects this the most and although not many people know my story, they at least witnessed my accomplishments and looked to me as an inspiration. This quote can apply to anyone academically and athletically and it all starts with compassion and the willfulness to exceed expectations and make their mark for all to see.
I began wrestling at a young age when I was eight years old. I had always enjoyed it and it was a huge part of my life. As I grew older I started to take it more seriously and I aspired to go big and succeed at the highest level. I started on the varsity wrestling team all four years of high school. My first two years were the most difficult years of my career and where I had the most failure. We had new coaches who struggled keeping the team together and helping us become better to compete against tougher programs. I lost almost every match and I lost my passion for the sport. I lost confidence in myself and stopped believing I would ever compete at the highest levels. My sophomore year I tore my meniscus and could not continue about half way through the season. I decided that since I was hurt and since we were not any good anyways that I would not wrestle anymore. That all changed several months later when we received new coaches after our previous coaches were terminated. I still had no passion to wrestle prior to my junior season, but I was later convinced by the new coaches. My junior season was not much better than the first two seasons of wrestling, but I seen improvement in myself. To my surprise and to everyone else’s surprise, I qualified for districts. I then capped off my junior season with an 8th place finish at districts.
Furthermore, after placing 8th at districts I regained my passion to wrestle and I started believing in myself again. Everyone understood that our program had struggled for years but I was determined to put the program back on the map. I was determined to go further and accomplish more with the support of my coaches and family. I trained the summer before my senior season by attending a wrestling camp and training with local club programs. I was determined to reach the next level which was regionals and then states. I wanted to prove to myself and to everyone else that I could achieve it. I also wanted to prove to others that they too could accomplish their goals. My senior year was an exciting year because I knew that I worked hard and wanted to qualify for regionals more than anything. It was my goal. As soon as the season began I was faced with another challenge. I was the only wrestler on the team and we had no clue what to do. I had nobody to practice with and we were not allowed to combine with another school. I lost hope again and I thought regionals was impossible. As the season went on I had to do my own training and find time on my own to practice with someone. The post season came around and it was then or never. I could not believe my eyes because I again qualified for districts even though I was a “one-man team”. I had success at districts after placing 6th which then qualified me for regionals. I became an inspiration for many people. News about me spread throughout social media which reached all over the country and it was time for regionals. Unfortunately, regionals was the end of the road and I did not qualify for states.
To conclude, “Make your mark. Be an inspiration for others and lead the way.” This was true for me and probably for many other people. I went through a rough two years of wrestling. My coaches did not help me reach my potential. Eventually new coaches came around who helped me reach my potential and they believed in me. I wanted to accomplish my goals and I wanted to make my mark in my community and school. I wanted to show others that they too could reach their potential through hard work and determination. I never thought I would inspire others, but I did during my junior and senior year of wrestling season. I medaled in districts two years in a row and went to regionals while being the only wrestler my senior year. I was an inspiration for my school, community, and friends and family. I proved to others that they could overcome obstacles and become and inspiration for others just through hard work and determination, whether it is academically or athletically. It is all about making every moment your moment and to set an example for others to follow.