Dedication is defined as “the quality of being dedicated or committed to a task or purpose.” Over the last few years I’ve realized that talent only goes so far in achieving my goals. I have been very lucky to have been gifted in the ability to do well in school and perform well in my sports. I was able to get A’s in school with little to no studying, and could perform in my sports without having to practice very hard.

Now, being a senior, I realize why junior year is said to be the hardest year of high school. Yes, my classes were harder than any other year; however, I was not prepared to have to apply myself to school as much as junior year required. It took weeks of late nights with little sleep to realize how much more dedication was needed to succeed in my classes. I had to start studying earlier and harder. I had to put homework first and my free time second. I think junior year prepared me for schooling and life beyond high school because it requires dedication, and dedication is essential to achieve your goals. There is only so much you can do before you have to put in the work to get where you want to go and do what you want in life.

Outside of school I’ve learned dedication from soccer. I broke my leg in the winter of my freshman year. Once I got my cast off I had a long road to recovery. I only had two months until soccer tryouts and I had just begun physical therapy. I had to put a ton of time and dedication to make the varsity team as a sophomore. I achieved my goal and realized how my dedication had paid off and what it took to succeed. In the years before my junior year I played multiple sports, but during junior year was when I decided to dedicate all my time to soccer. Soccer is my true passion and I needed to give all my effort to be the player I wanted to become. Being a senior, and a captain, of the soccer team at my high school, I see how much dedication it takes to lead a team. Many players have lofty goals of going undefeated and winning the state championship, but don’t have the dedication to give the extra effort in practice. I am often criticized in my efforts to become a better soccer player for “trying too hard in practice” or “being to serious.” They don’t realize that, although we are talented, when it comes to those final games of the season, the teams that apply and dedicate themselves to winning are the ones who are most likely to prevail. Dedication is a word which is overused and is losing its true meaning. I believe that I know the true meaning and have the dedication to succeed in college and beyond.