My significant experience has come from my short time that I have spent on the Elder High School hockey team. This is a brand new team with novice players. I have been playing hockey since the fourth grade when my dad introduced me to the sport. I used my experience as a player to help and guide the new players to improve their skills. I really believe that many of them look up to me as a leader through example.
First, I was not the only person with experience on the team. There was a few others; however, I was able to communicate well with the new skaters probably because I am not an outstanding player. Many people have told me that I would make a better coach than a player in every sport I play. I take that as a compliment because coaching is something that interests me and I know that when I am older I would love to coach my children. Then six months after our first season of practice, one of the new players told me during our retreat how much it meant to him to hear me say that he "worked hard and always improved." That was the first time that I even realized that I had made a difference in how someone participated on our team.
This year the coach made me the captain of our team. I have never been a captain of any sport so it was a great honor to receive my letter. I know I cannot fulfill my duties as captain, but I have help and do everything I can to aid in the improvement of Elder hockey. The freshmen really look up to me and I plan on making them better players so that our sport succeeds where others have failed. I only wish they had this sport when I was a freshman. Everyone needs somebody to look up to as a role model; I hope that no one looks up to me that way because I do not feel worthy of that praise. However, I do hope that people look up to me for help and assistance in many aspects of life.
Tutoring is an activity that I have participated in since Elder first offered it to me as a sophomore.