I have always been passionate and excited about playing and watching sports. The majority of my family members are sports enthusiasts. So, watching a sporting event on television or in person with all of us together can be an adventure. One sport I like in particular is baseball. I was inspired to play the sport from watching the movie 42 and reading about Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson’s hard work and the way he navigated the many obstacles placed in his way inspired me on many levels, not just in my efforts to play baseball. His story made me want to work hard like he did to achieve my goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
Jackie Robinson was an extraordinary baseball player who used his high-profile platform to bring change, not just to the sport of baseball, but also to the entire country through his work in the Civil Rights Movement. Like Jackie Robinson, I want to bring change to my community by becoming a doctor and providing quality healthcare in areas of my state that lack that type of healthcare. I will utilize my love of math and science and the advance placement classes I took in high school to help me successfully matriculate through college and obtain my bachelor’s degree in biology/pre-medicine, then on to medical school.
Just like Jackie Robinson, I know I will be able to overcome any obstacles that stand in my way of reaching my ultimate goal if I work hard and stay focused. For example, I learned that he received death threats and kept playing the sport of baseball and never gave up. This really helped guide me through different situations in my life when I felt like I could not conquer a task. When I broke my elbow playing baseball, I really had a long road to recovery. The days were long in rehab, but I always thought of Jackie Robinson as he went through racism and got through that obstacle and became a successful baseball player. Even though he went through much more pain than I, it really inspired me to keep pushing through the rehab, and I became healthy again before I knew it.
No one else’s level of work until this day is comparable to that of Jackie Robinson’s in the sport of baseball. He set many records and is considered by many, including me, as the best baseball player that has ever played Major League Baseball. He was so confident, and I want to emulate that kind of confidence as well. When I was younger, I was not very confident. However, Jackie Robinson’s life story inspired me to change my attitude and to gain more confidence in myself and my abilities. As a result, my newfound confidence has helped me to excel at school, where I now proudly serve as president of the student council and also as drum major for my high school’s band. And, just like Jackie Robinson, I intend to bring positive change to this world.