Personal Statement Accomplishment Personal Quality

SOP Personal

I was the tallest one there, with or without my skates, and I felt gangly and awkward next to my companions. My friend gave me a pat on the shoulder. "It's ok, you look great!" Another girl said, "I wish I had your height. All the Olympian skaters are tall like you." They were just saying that to make me feel better. A growth spurt made me feel awkward on the ice.

While all the other girls stood up gracefully from the bench, I held onto the wall for support. The instructor scowled at me a lot, or at least, much more often than at the other girls. I didn't blame him; our competition was in just two weeks.

"Can you come in tomorrow morning?" he said.

I looked at him with confusion. "Sure," I said. Was I in trouble?

The next morning at 7AM, I showed up, practically in my pajamas. I was ready. He was going to tell me I was kicked off the team because I wasn't good enough. I could not look him in the eyes. I stared at my feet. I had not yet told my parents that I was kicked off the team. What would they say?

"Good morning! Why do you look so down? Come on, lace up!"

His voice startled me. I did as I was told.

"What's going on?" I finally asked, after my skates were done up. "Am I kicked off the team?"

"No, silly!" he laughed. "You need practice!"

And so began the real training. Every morning for the next two weeks, my coach and I practiced together at 7AM. I was the only girl on the team at the early training session. I didn't mind because I stopped thinking how gangly and awkward I looked. No longer comparing myself to anyone else, I started to come into my own, and developed my own style and form that was proper but suitable for my taller frame. My balance problems started to work themselves out. Two days before the competition, I remember getting up off the bench at team practice and for the first time not hanging onto the wall for support before reaching the ice.