Personal Narrative-Self-Analysis

Sophomore year, I was named the frosh/soph team captain. Raised eyebrows and glares ensued from the gathered lineup, eyeing the lanky four-eyed nerd. Initially, I was highly discouraged by my teammates; they would seldom obey my callouts and instruction during practice, and if they did, they would do so only grudgingly. However, what unsettled me even more was that the majority of the team viewed the sport as a competition, vying to display superior skill and individual merit rather than teamwork. This proved to be a disaster, as our season began with a brief losing streak where our opponents dominated us through seamless teamwork.
I realized that I needed to lead and consolidate this band of skilled renegades into a well-oiled scoring machine. In order for my teammates to willingly listen to me, I had to gain their mutual respect. I worked arduously to prove myself as a competent player on the field, making an effort to demonstrate my ability to effectively handle and shoot. Simultaneously, there was a more pressing issue to address: unifying the team. As captain, I encouraged effective communication and teamwork through example. I expanded the primary focus of practice from the individual tasks of dribbling and footwork to passing and shooting with one another. Over time, these small changes
Multiple players were in jeopardy of being booted off the team due to poor academic performance. To prevent the team from collapsing, the failing students enrolled in an after school tutoring program that I was involved in. I tutored each player, and was relieved when no players failed the grade check.
My role as soccer captain provided an insightful understanding of performing effectively as a leader. I have come to realize that no matter what leadership position I undertake, I need to gain the respect of my teammates, not through demands, but through the building of camaraderie and respect from a common