Thinking back on all of my favorite high school memories, sporting events account for 80 percent of them. Participating in school sports offers no guarantee of limelight and trophies, and that is the beauty of them. The work is the focus, the team is the focus and the challenge is the focus. Burned into the memories of my body and brain are those brutal workouts after which I’m dying on the side of the track, wondering if it’s worth it. 

I couldn’t know at the time, but the push and pressure of three years’ worth of workout grind was the foundation of the moment I was holding the team championship trophy at the State Meet. Then there was the crushing blow of an unfair disqualification, which ended up being pivotal in my willingness to try again and work to control the things I have power over. 

Being an athlete representing Tualatin High School (TuHS) has given me a reason to be my best self and to invest in encouraging my teammates to do the same. When I’m out in my Wolfpack gear, I’m showing that TuHS is as strong, fierce, kind and respectful as I am willing to be as a competitor. 

It’s not just the athletic participation that I have loved. Memories of cheering in the stands under the Friday night lights at our home football field dressed in cowboy boots, togas and beach gear, the crowd roaring at the top of our lungs, are just as amazing. The exhilaration of watching the final basket go in at the State Championship, everyone’s eyes shining with pride at what we accomplished together as fans and athletes, will echo in my memories for the rest of my life. 

The strongest memories I have made in my life are those that bring extreme challenge and extreme joy. Sports at TuHS will be the most treasured memories I take from my teenage years, and I wouldn’t change the risk of failure, the hardships, the challenge or the camaraderie for anything.