How have sports made you a better person?

“I’ve been playing soccer since I was four. I’ve been a Giants and Lakers fan since I was born. When I was younger, I was never confident in the work I produced. I knew there was always someone smarter, faster, and better than me. Playing soccer allowed me to dedicate myself to something I loved, and I constantly sought improvement. I built my own voice on the field, and that was reflected in the classroom and in my friendships. Playing and watching sports taught me the importance of patience. One win is the result of numerous losses. I have seen and endured more failures than I can count, but I credit my ability to bounce back to sports.”

—Shivali Korgaonkar, sophomore

“I am constantly amazed by just how much I have learned from sports. Just a few months after I joined a running club team in the fourth grade, I began to realize the importance of being part of a team. I learned how to work with my teammates to achieve a common goal. I learned how to celebrate collective and individual accomplishments and to learn from disappointments. Most importantly, I learned how to be a compassionate teammate. I continue to discover how to be a better teammate each and every day. Quite simply, being a member of a team has helped me realize the importance of taking pride in your team’s success and contributing as a supportive teammate.

—Julianne Yotov, junior

“Sports have taught me more than one can imagine. Since I started playing baseball when I was probably three in my backyard, they came easily to me. But as I grew older and competition became better and more serious, it wasn’t enough to do well based on pure skill. I learned that in order to do well at something, whether it be sports or really anything, you have to work hard. I learned the quote, ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,’ and that’s something that I strive to live by on a daily basis.”

—Sam Levine, sophomore

"I have been in love with soccer since I was four—I began playing in a recreational league. As I got older, it got more serious, and I was always eager to take my skills to the next level—to learn more and to be better. I suffered a huge setback a couple of years ago, though. It destroyed my confidence and it took away my sense of desire to play soccer. But soccer, like all sports, has a way of inspiring you. It tells the story of professionals who obtained fame and wealth from practically nothing. And if they could do it, why can't I? After taking a break, I slowly started to get back into my routine. Sports has given me a desire to win, to be aggressive on the field and be respectful off it. Sports pushed me to be the best athlete I could be. Entering my senior year, I hope to be just that."

—Rudolph Merlin, junior

“I have been playing soccer ever since I can remember, and I am a huge sports fan as well. Sports have taught me so much about myself and about life in general. When I was younger, playing at Chelsea Piers came easily and naturally. As I got older, the competition increased and I had to work hard to become the best version of myself. Sports have taught me to have a strong work ethic—on and off the field. Also, playing soccer has allowed me to develop many friendships with people I never would have met otherwise. The sense of community that comes with playing team sports has taught me all about collaboration and encouragement, and it made me a happier person overall. Being a fan of New York franchises like the Giants and the Knicks is definitely tough sometimes (or in the Knicks’ case, all the time), but fanbases rally around each other despite their team’s incompetency and have taught me to bounce back and persist in the face of failure.”

—Krish Gupta, sophomore