Senior Essay 1

Leadership isn’t always something you choose; sometimes, it’s something you’re forced into because you’re tired of being told “no.” My journey started on the baseball diamond. I did everything right: I showed up to every conditioning session, hit the weight room, and survived tryouts to earn my spot as a pitcher and right outfielder. But when game day came, I stayed on the bench. My coach claimed he “didn’t want me to get hurt,” but it was clear that his real issue wasn’t my safety—it was my gender. He tried to push me toward softball simply because it felt more “appropriate” to him.

Instead of quitting, I went to the athletic director. That conversation changed everything. Not only was that coach removed, but we established a new rule: girls could play any “boy” sport if a girls’ version didn’t exist. However, I quickly realized that opening a door isn’t the same as making people feel welcome. Many parents were still uncomfortable with their daughters playing full-contact football with boys. Seeing that there was still a wall standing in our way, I went back to the athletic director with a solution: a girls’ flag football team.

He told me he’d support it, but only if I did the legwork. So, I became an organizer. I spent my weeks finding teachers and coaches who believed in the idea and recruiting girls from the hallways. By the time we were done, I had 35 players ready to go. We had a stressful, high-pressure season, but it was powerful. We weren’t just playing a game; we were proving that we belonged on the field. This experience taught me that if you want to see change, you can’t just wait for an invitation—you have to build the program yourself.

This is the same mindset I plan to take into my future career. I want to start a business that addresses the housing crisis by building homes for the homeless, but with a twist: I want to hire the people who will eventually live in them. I believe that giving someone a job and a skill is just as important as giving them a roof. It’s about restoring the dignity that comes with working for your own future.

I also want to focus on helping non-violent offenders who are struggling to find work. I’ve seen how people can be “benched” by society because of their past, making it nearly impossible for them to get back on their feet after incarceration. Just like those girls who wanted to play football but didn’t have a team, these individuals have the drive to work but lack the opportunity. My goal is to create a business that gives them that second chance, providing a bridge back into the real world.

Whether it’s on a baseball field or in the business world, I’ve learned that the best way to fix a broken system is to create a better one. I don’t just want to be a business owner; I want to be a builder who makes sure everyone gets a chance to get in the game.