The Missed Kick by Tate

The Missed Kick by Tate - February 2017 Scholarship Essay

The Missed Kick

I have enjoyed playing a variety of sports since I was four years old, whether it was soccer, football, golf, basketball, baseball, or swimming. I tried almost every sport that I could, but in the end soccer has always been my favorite. Soccer was the first sport I ever played, and I still play it to this day. I tried basketball and golf, but I have found I really love sports that work my legs and also one that calls for a team to work together and rely on each other. I have met some of my best friends through soccer and learned many skills such as the ability to think ahead, that I will use in the future.
For a while, soccer was the only sport I was playing, but in seventh grade I decided to try something different. My extensive experience with soccer led me to try the position of football kicker. Even though soccer was always my favorite sport, my football kicking experience has taught me many valuable lessons. Probably the most important one is to never give up, especially when things get hard. When I first started kicking, I had no confidence in myself. I would tend to get nervous before a kick and overthink it. But I got better by believing that I am only as good as my next kick, and I can always do better.
When I started high school, I realized as the kicker that at times I could be that critical component for the team. By junior year I knew that I had to perform well to keep my spot because there was always the possibility of being replaced. The season went well and we made the first round of the play-offs, where in the final minutes of the game we ended up down by one point. Everyone expected me to make that extra point, but unfortunately I missed. That would be the last high school game for all of my senior teammates and the last game of our season.
At first I was devastated that I missed the kick, but this became one of those moments of growth for me through sports. While I was still thinking about it, I saw a UT football game in which the kicker missed the extra point to lose the game, just as I had done. I realized how important it is to be able to come back after a disappointment, to move forward, and to not make the same mistake twice if given a second chance. This wasn’t just a lesson for football though; it has come to the point where I have started using this attitude of perseverance in other aspects of my life at school and in relationships.
I love that I have found sports where I can use my ability to pass well and to anticipate, to see what is coming. I am also one of those people who wants to bring others along with him, so to be a part of a team working toward a common goal has been rewarding as well. But more importantly, I think the years of playing competitive sports have taught me to be a more considerate person. When you are part of a team, you need to do what is best for the greater good of the team. This often means putting aside what you want for yourself and focusing on what’s best for others.