Debate
An experience that I believe was and is beneficial to my future occurred in 9th grade. We had a debate unit and those students with the best debates were chosen to take a trip to Albany and pitch their cases to Tom O’mara, Phil Palmesano, and Chris Friend. I was one of those students. It was beneficial to be in an environment like that for a day and learn how people with those kinds of jobs acted. It was also fun and a little nerve wracking to have to present ideas to prominent leaders in our state. This exposure and others will help me to remember how to keep my cool in a likely high stress environment.
Spark! 2017
Another incredible experience that I will never forget was attending the 2017 Spark! conference at the Harbor Hotel. This was another great opportunity presented by the school and the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce. There were so many valuable lessons to learn from this conference. Many intelligent people presented on topics such as strength through leadership, crucial conversations, etc. Also in a personal conversation, one man told me to “Always be kind to people. You never know what they are going through. That person who cuts you off on the highway could be going to the hospital to see a loved one off.” This hit me, as I am not the most patient person. Lessons like these will help me to become a strong and kind leader in the future.
AAU Basketball
Basketball is a huge part of my life, and there are many experiences I learn from, especially during AAU basketball. I have been playing this club ball since seventh grade and from eight grade on I have had the pleasure of being coached by Scott Morse. This coach is one I can always count on to pick me up and encourage me when my shots are not falling or my defense is looking shabby. But at the same time he never takes it easy on me because he wants the best out of me. Through this relationship I have been motivated to work my absolute hardest, whether it be in practice or in games. He has not only taught my team and I the ways of basketball, but how to win, lose, and be part of the basketball community with poise and pride. From not doing the little things like pressing if we’re up by 30, to commenting on other team’s plays if they are great plays. Coach Morse tells us that he gets many compliments on how we handle ourselves. I cherish my time on our AAU teams and cannot wait to kick off this season.
Varsity Basketball
The last experience I learned a lot from this year was varsity basketball. Being a first year varsity player I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of playing time. I did expect a fair amount, as I was incredibly successful in junior varsity and play basketball for two thirds of the year. But that was not what I got. It was a very humbling experience and I learned to appreciate even stats that most people look over, like assists or even just hustle points. I also learned how much cheering on my teammates can be and giving them tips for each game that I could observe better because I wasn’t on the floor. We went on to win our first state title this year, and I was proud of my contributions even though I only got one basket on the stat sheet.
