Makeila Laulu '18 Recruiting Profile

My name is Makeila Tita Laulu and I am the oldest of five children, the right hand to my single mom. My siblings have always looked up to me, as a role model, but as a type of parent as well. Being a leader is being a big sister. Despite learning responsibility or taking accountability for my mistakes, or others, the leadership quality I have lived and love most is selflessness. My choices are about them, to show them about opportunity and hard work, to give them the chance to find what they love and chase that dream. This selflessness has become who I am and bleeds into other areas of my life, including my sports.
In softball, I rally, cheer and encourage others my teammates. As a team, we all work towards one goal and support each other in finding our individual strengths. In a game, on or off the field, I try my best to push my teammates, despite sometimes feeling like giving up. During one tournament to qualify for Nationals, we were at the bottom of the losing bracket. Someone had to step up and lead, when we all felt so doubtful and defeated. I talked to my team and reminded them we were there to compete and let's go play like it's our last game. With a strong mindset, my team followed and we persevered through to Nationals and became one of the best teams in the nation. What makes me stand out as a player is that, I am a firm believer in pushing through a tough situation, working hard and trying to achieve something. I love the game of softball and I would do anything to be able to continue this wonderful sport in the collegiate level!