College Admissions Essay: My Life As A College Athlete

Looking through the piles of pictures my mom has stored in the closet, I find one common object in every one of them: a ball. In every story I tell, I find myself talking about basketball or softball. When I ask my family or close friends to describe me in one word, athletic is a constant adjective used; most people would be more than happy to be described as such, especially in high school; I mean everyone knows me, right? So, is the name, Gracie, forever connected to how many home runs I hit or how many rebounds I grab? But is athleticism all I have to offer? For the longest time, I would have answered that question with a yes. However, now as I enter adulthood and move on to the next step in my life, I am faced with a big decision: Will I continue to be stuck in this continuous cycle of practice and games, or will I shock everyone and finally decide to close this chapter of my life? Regardless the choice, the decision will define my adulthood just as the decision to be an athlete
I am doubting myself, physically and mentally. Will my body be able to handle college athletics after everything I’ve put it through? Am I smart enough to maintain the grades I have been expected to have my whole life? But before I can even think about these things the real question is constantly making an appearance in my head: do I even really want to be a college athlete? I could never imagine that part of my life gone and knowing that all those practices and games were wasted time. But were they really? The person I am today is because of the life lessons I have learned while playing basketball and softball. The goofy, fun loving, and high-spirited girl my peers pass in the hallway is Gracie. I am this way now because of my coaches and teammates. I couldn’t be happier with the person I am today and the way I am leaving my high school family to remember