My Inspirational Heroes

Alex squinted, wrinkling his
nose, as he stood awkwardly at the plate. He was determined to hit a
home-run, despite the fact that his arms and legs do not move as
smoothly as they do in his imagination. The players on this
challenger team all have some disability, to varying degrees. Being
the coach, I am amazed at the determination these players have to
perform and succeed despite their hardships. They work tirelessly to
be able to accomplish normal activities of daily living while still
smiling, full of joy. It has been the best blessing for me to spend
over 300 hours with these players in the last four years.

I
sat late at night at the dinner table working on homework. I looked
over at my mom, who often sits with me, working on her computer when
I am studying. I think she does it to keep me company even though I
know she is exhausted from working all day and taking care of all the
house needs. She was squinting, wrinkling her nose with that same
look of determination. Things have not always been easy for her.
Although she works two jobs, she can be seen at my games and
volunteers at all my activities. She has sacrificed her own needs,
determined to ensure that I do not miss out on any opportunities,
whether it is with playing varsity baseball, roles in ASB, coaching
the challenger team, and acting as the Youth Coalition Leader. These
activities all have financial requirements, however my mom has always
committed that as long as I do my part in working hard, she will
somehow come up with the money even if it means renting out a room in
our apartment.

I
now recognize that same face that I saw in both Alex and my mother.
It is the look of courage and perseverance. I have realized that
everyone has different challenges through our lives. My
inspirational heroes have shown me to not only have the courage to
face the hardships but the perseverance to overcome my obstacles. My
experiences have taught me that whatever the hardship is, as long as
I keep my goal in mind and stay determined, anything can be
accomplished. I am determined to complete my undergraduate work in
Kinesiology and further towards my ultimate goal of an MS in
Occupational Therapy, where I may continue to serve the special needs
community.

I
am uncertain exactly what my future will bring me but I know that I
will be successful. I know my plans and goals will change with
different experiences that I go through along my path to success. I
will be successful as long as I work hard and persist toward my goal
of living a purposeful life and continue with courage and
perseverance.