When I was a sophomore in high school, I tore my ACL and patella tendon while playing football. The recovery process took almost the entire school year before I was able to jog again. During this time, I decided to shift my focus away from football and instead pursue lacrosse, a sport I had been naturally good at when I first tried it.

After my recovery, I went to my first lacrosse practice with the expectation that I would perform the same way I had before the injury. However, during tryouts, I quickly realized how stiff I felt when running, which made me feel frustrated and depressed. It was a constant reminder of how different things were now compared to before my surgeries.

At that point, I had a choice: I could give up on sports altogether, or I could push through the pain and work to become the player I once was. I chose to push through. It wasn’t easy — it took time, commitment, and a lot of emotional strength to get back on track. By the time I started practicing again, I was able to play at a level close to where I was before, but I knew I needed to keep improving.

I dedicated myself to getting better. I reviewed my own game footage, studied how others played, and incorporated elements of their techniques into my own style. This effort paid off when I was voted the best player on my high school lacrosse team and earned a spot on a travel team that went on to win several tournaments.

As I reflected on my journey and the obstacles I had overcome, I began to realize that my experiences with sports had sparked an interest in problem-solving and design. The process of overcoming challenges in sports led me to think about how things are built, improved, and optimized — all of which pointed toward a future in Industrial Design. I turned my focus to college, where I could explore this newfound passion and career path, knowing that this was where my talents and interests aligned.

Today, I am driven by the same persistence and dedication I applied in sports to my studies and career ambitions. Overcoming physical and emotional challenges taught me the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and hard work — values that continue to guide me as I pursue my goal of becoming an industrial designer.