My name is Miles Person and I am a Junior at Tahoma High School in Maple Valley, WA. I have been playing lacrosse competitively for the past 7 years.
After playing soccer for 6 years, I began playing lacrosse. I became interested in lacrosse in 4th grade when my elementary school offered an after school program, which was coached by our local high school lacrosse players. After the first week, I knew I wanted to dedicate my time and energy to playing lacrosse at the high school level, just like those who were coaching me.
There have been many people who have influenced me over the years. Those who have influenced me the most, are the high schoolers who coached me when I was just learning to play. They served as great role models and one particular player, encouraged me to try playing defense and because of him, I now play Long Pole and LSM. My parents have always supported me in whatever I do. They encourage me to be the best I can be and work hard, no matter what challenge presents itself.
Playing lacrosse has taught me, no matter how frustrated or stressed I become on the field, staying in control and respecting other players and coaches, are of the utmost importance.
Academics are my number one priority and my dedication to the school is reflective in both my GPA and standardized test scores. Last year, I was on the honor roll and recognized by the school for my academic successes. I plan to continue to hold myself to a high standard academically, both in high school and college.
One obstacle I believe I have to work around is, as the competition level of the game rises, so does the dedication and I want to be sure I am able to balance lacrosse, with other important things in my life such as schoolwork, time with my family and the community.
One of my biggest strengths I have is the knowledge of the game and the ability to learn defensive plays quickly. I also can identify plays the other team is running, which allows me, to effectively communicate with my teammates and determine how to best counter their offensive plays. Finally, I am very coachable and I respond well to feedback from coaches.
I look forward to the opportunity to play lacrosse at the collegiate level as well as have academic success while obtaining a bachelor's degree.