- March 2016 - Skills
Personal Statement
I was born in Oxford, England. At the age of 3, our family moved to the Centre-West of France. I went to the local school and am fluent in French. Whilst I was in France, I was very lucky to experience many sports: Rugby, Athletics, Ice–skating, Horse-Riding, Handball, Hip-hop, Ballet, Skiing, Water skiing, Golf and Tennis. As I’ve taken part in such a variety of sports, I love my sport as it is competitive but must be fun. When I used to do horse riding, I had a special bond with a horse named “Idalgo”, because this little beasty bit every single child and some adults, but not me. I was the only kid who could touch, tame and ride this horse. I really started to learn and understand animal behavior from a young age. In addition, my parents were both born in Kenya. I love Africa. When I go there on holiday, there is such a diversity and intriguing types of animals. As I have seen so many different animals, I’ve felt very connected to their world which is why I would like to embark on a “Wildlife/Ecology” course when I’m at University. I have always wanted to be oriented towards sport as I was a very active child, but, I chose tennis out of Rugby and Dance because I was so inspired by Nadal as a young kid. I had aspirations to be like him. I had a lot of success when I was very young and won many competitions; I just want to continue doing the same.
I want to play for a top team and represent my college at singles and/or doubles and win championships with and for them. Whilst I relish playing singles, I love being in a tennis team; it is the best feeling ever and the power of a great team is inspiring. I want to have the opportunity to play tennis at the highest University level possible and travel around America playing tournaments. I want to develop my physical skills, e.g. strength, agility, power, etc. In terms of education, I want to have a professional qualification in the area of Wildlife Ecology. A trained and educated brain is just as important if not more so than being a top sportsman as I can’t play tennis all my life. As I have matured I have come to realize how important it is to work hard at academics. I have realized that putting in the hours is vital to achieve the results you want. I proved that in History where I was predicted an E grade at GCSE but I was determined to do better. I applied myself and achieved a B. It gave me great satisfaction and taught me the power of determination.
In terms of character, I’m someone who is very grateful. I have this unique skill because each time I go to Africa, I’m always so thankful for the opportunities I have that so many others don’t. Also, because I am fluent in French and understand their culture, I have been able to utilize this skill to help people out when they need it; I always do my best to help someone out, it makes me feel good. I’ve become more determined to succeed in school and sport than ever, I will do everything in my control to help not only myself but my teammates. In addition, where many people get frustrated, because they are not playing well, they will get down and possibly lose it; I, however, will find a solution to a problem. If it’s to do with fixing a lawnmower, not meeting my own expectations or wondering how something works, I will find a solution to that problem. I am resilient because if I lose a match, especially if it’s close, I will be disappointed, but I will pick myself up and work harder to make sure it doesn’t happen again. And if it happens again, I will keep on persevering.
What’s separates me from the others back home in the UK, is that many of my friends have their minds set on partying. Of course I like socializing and parties, but I have one thing in mind: I want to be a professional tennis player. I am very self-motivated and ambitious. I will make a good candidate for your team because I’m a very hard worker and I try my absolute best to be better than the day before. Training never stops, I will do additional stretches, practice my serve even more, find someone else to play a little longer with; I’ll make sure I’m eating healthily and most importantly, I make sure that I go to bed early so that I can deliver my full potential and give 100% effort and intensity on and off the court the next day.
All of this contributes to me wanting to be the best at what I want to do. I know it won’t come in a flash, but if I work hard and keep on persevering, I know that I’m on the right track. I’m someone who has dreams and I know in order to attain those dreams, you have to work hard to get them. I’m that person. Thanks to the support of my family and how much time they have spent on me and sacrificed for me, I’ve been influenced by them and have learned that if you work hard now, you will get your reward later. Wherever I go, I always carry this belief.
