Sportogrpahy

I. Growing up as a little kid, I was always involved in soccer and football. From the

time I was 5 years old, I was playing soccer for youth leagues in Sugar Land, where

my parents were the coaches. The level of competition was not high only because the

league was for little kids being introduced to the sport, kind of like tee ball. As I got

older, I began to play football at the YMCA as well as Soccer (around age 8), and I

noticed that the competition was a little more advanced. This was not because of age,

but I found out as I played, some of the teams had been together and playing together

since they were 4-5 years old. Always switching teams and never having the same

team year in and out until I hit middle school, it was always a challenge to prove

myself not only to my teammates, but other teams as well.

II A. I became involved in soccer and football because both my parents were athletes

and wanted me to be active in sports as well. My mom was my soccer coach until I

started playing Football at age 8, to when my dad was my first football coach. So

becoming involved in sports was kind of easy because both my parents were my

coaches in the respected sports.

II B. I stayed involved in both sports because playing sports was seen as an outlet to

school work and other stressors at the time. With my parents, I was always told to “be

the best,” so I loved the competition and always trying to prove that I was the better

athlete. Also playing in the same leagues year in and out, with the same kids, when I

would be put on another team, and would play ex teammates, my goal was to always

be the superior athlete. Even in middle school, I always aimed to be the best because

middle school coaches would let the high school coaches which kids were superior

and which were not.

II C. My change in involvement occurred (and led me to my current degree field),

when I suffered a torn ACL. After tearing my ACL, I believed my sporting career

was over and that all the years of climbing the ladder to be the best at my respected

sports was all for nothing. I thought of quitting and leaving that life forever, but then

a major influence in my life told me about sports medicine. I got involved with sports

medicine and found out that I could still be involved with sports, but on the “helping

others” side of the spectrum.

III A. Positive effects of playing in sports: The positive effects playing sports has had for me is

that I have not only found a career field in it, but the connections I have made. By playing sports,

I was able to meet many people in the Houston sports scene that work for the major sports teams

in Houston (Dynamo, Rockets, Astros, Texans). I have met some of the directors of the teams

and others who do the “behind the scenes” work. Also by playing sports/being involved in sports

medicine, it has shown me that education is also majorly important. A strong education is what

lets you compete in sports (UIL credentials), and is what can help expand your knowledge of

more than just playing the sport.

III B. Negative side of sports: Because of my persistence to always be the best in my respected

sport, focusing on sports has caused me to miss out on friendships. I have extinguished many

friendships in high school and even college because of my degree and push to be the best in

sports. Right after my ACL tear, and I had wanted to quit on sports and everything I had worked

so hard for, I fell into a deep state of depression where I found comfort in drug use and drinking.

At such a young age with a bright future, all of the pressure to be the best and it fall apart due to

a severe leg injury, I believed that I did not have a future and that my life was finished. During

this state I was introduced to drugs like cocaine, marijuana, molly, etc. I found myself hanging

out with the wrong crowd and people who also thought that they would never amount to

anything. Even with the persistence and push from ex teammates and coaches, I never listened

because I thought what I was doing was the only right option.

IV A: I believe kids should be introduced at a young age to sports, but not show them that it is a

competition, but a fun hobby to make lifelong relationships and a great way to stay fit.

IV B: I believe by introducing and getting young individuals to have an enjoyment in sports, the

retention for them to want to continue to play the sport will follow. After all, we cannot force

someone to do something they don’t want to.

IV C: By enhancing the positive side of sports, we can show that competition is friendly, yet is a

huge part of the sport and kids will not fall into the competitive motion of the sport only (Does

not see sports as fun, only to be better than everyone else and not a stress relief).

IV D. By enhancing the positive side of sports, we can take away the negatives. A major

negative I saw was when I suffered my ACL tear and believed I had nothing else to offer in life.

I believe by introducing to kids that sports is a lifelong fun hobby, but should not be the main

source of one’s life. Playing sports should be a stress relief and never anything else.