Personal Statement

Cameron Lacoma

The end of my fourth and final season of high schools football was nearing, and I could

not have been more relieved. Football had never been my favorite extracurricular, and I was

excited to finally be able to move on to other things after what felt like the longest season ever.

However, during my second-to-last regular season game, my opinion was suddenly altered. After

almost a full four years of playing without being injured, I received a concussion.

Being that this was our second to last game, this concussion put me out the rest of the

season. Although I wouldve thought I would be relieved to be done with this season of football,

I was devastated. This situation that I had been suddenly thrown into gave me a new outlook on

everything, and it was when I was standing on the sidelines incapable of playing, that I realized

everything I had taken for granted. The Friday night lights, my school's student section cheering

on the teams every play, the announcer in the press box announcing my name when I made a

good play, these were all things I realized I would never get to experience again. This sport

brought me relationships with not only friends but coaches, and it taught me things that continue

to make me a better person.

As high of a regret as it is to me, this bitter-sweet end to my high school football career

has influenced me in the greatest and strongest of ways. I realized to always learn from

experiences through the process and not the outcome. If I focus on the end too much, Ill just

miss the steps and processes that get me there, which can teach me how to better myself.

However, now throughout unappealing life events, I remind myself to never take any moment for

granted, for which any moment can make me better than before.