personal statement project
Ayaha Ikezawa (Megumi Allison)
One of the most unforgettable memories in my high school years is the volleyball club I joined for four entire years. I am a Japanese-American student in a small international school in Japan. My volleyball team usually has only the minimum number of players in a team. But thinking back, because of the quantity of the team, the changing members, I am feeling very glad I chose this sport as a senior student.
My first half of my volleyball years were filled with problems. The very team lead by two seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and five freshmen, was very quiet. Just after the graduation of the “Golden Age”, the team already gave up all hope in performance. The power-balance was inclined obliquely on the imperious senior. The only thing an unskillful freshman could do was to practice basics under scolding seniors and coaches. That was the time I became determined to not follow their examples.
A new season came, as the coach changed, as I became a “senior” in the team. We had new, young, rowdy players. My ambition in that team was to play differently than previous years. A bit better. A bit more. And more. In means of skills, but also by means of satisfaction as a team-sport. We started simple, cheering and huddling. We started practicing longer periods in the season, we started to chant. Things did not change so quickly, but over two years, my dream came true, bit by bit. Off season training started, our skill level bumped up, our sense were keener, dexterous. We high touched each other, we had a much better mood. The efforts weren't futile. We were much better.
So then came the senior year’s tournament. That very last game, remains very unforgettable. Against a team with a level very similar to us, we fought for the third set in a game best of two. Our server missed her first serving. I freaked out. It was severe. I felt the importance of the next point, my teammate’s getting tenser. We huddled, we high touched before the last point. We cheered the server, to receive the next ball. She nodded. We went back to our own position, simply focused. We knew we’ll all win this game.
Thinking back sometimes about that last game, I remember that I felt joy in that last few points. I was extremely happy that moment in the court, with my five teammates around me, all focused to achieve that one single result. There, I felt the delight of a team-sport, the most pleasing achievement.
As an international student, I own a multicultural background. I am a Japanese-American, that now lives in Japan but see my academic future in the United States. My selected college courses are science courses, but my core desire in the next step of education, is new encounters in different places. I will always remember that one best moment in my last game. Now my dream is that in my future, with any kind of a team, any kind of person I will encounter, to work together and collaborate, so that I can reach that best moment of joy again. I sincerely hope my skills gained over my past four years playing volleyball would help me achieve my dream, also to become a global-minded collaborating worker and individual.
My first half of my volleyball years were filled with problems. The very team lead by two seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and five freshmen, was very quiet. Just after the graduation of the “Golden Age”, the team already gave up all hope in performance. The power-balance was inclined obliquely on the imperious senior. The only thing an unskillful freshman could do was to practice basics under scolding seniors and coaches. That was the time I became determined to not follow their examples.
A new season came, as the coach changed, as I became a “senior” in the team. We had new, young, rowdy players. My ambition in that team was to play differently than previous years. A bit better. A bit more. And more. In means of skills, but also by means of satisfaction as a team-sport. We started simple, cheering and huddling. We started practicing longer periods in the season, we started to chant. Things did not change so quickly, but over two years, my dream came true, bit by bit. Off season training started, our skill level bumped up, our sense were keener, dexterous. We high touched each other, we had a much better mood. The efforts weren't futile. We were much better.
So then came the senior year’s tournament. That very last game, remains very unforgettable. Against a team with a level very similar to us, we fought for the third set in a game best of two. Our server missed her first serving. I freaked out. It was severe. I felt the importance of the next point, my teammate’s getting tenser. We huddled, we high touched before the last point. We cheered the server, to receive the next ball. She nodded. We went back to our own position, simply focused. We knew we’ll all win this game.
Thinking back sometimes about that last game, I remember that I felt joy in that last few points. I was extremely happy that moment in the court, with my five teammates around me, all focused to achieve that one single result. There, I felt the delight of a team-sport, the most pleasing achievement.
As an international student, I own a multicultural background. I am a Japanese-American, that now lives in Japan but see my academic future in the United States. My selected college courses are science courses, but my core desire in the next step of education, is new encounters in different places. I will always remember that one best moment in my last game. Now my dream is that in my future, with any kind of a team, any kind of person I will encounter, to work together and collaborate, so that I can reach that best moment of joy again. I sincerely hope my skills gained over my past four years playing volleyball would help me achieve my dream, also to become a global-minded collaborating worker and individual.