How will your presence enrich our community?
An indescribable feeling overwhelms me as I sit three feet above the ground, wind blowing past me 30mph, and my only security is my balance. This is my life, 40 riders all-aiming for the same goal, to win.

I compare myself to motocross because it’s my life, put in a sport. Motocross is independent and about people sharing the same goal, which to me is the same with college. Motocross has ups and downs; I am constantly wondering what is going to happen next, or whom I am up against. I have been riding for 2 years now, and since then I have opened my eyes to a new perspective. I was once the one in the corner always shaking, getting nervous when someone would talk to me, especially if it was a boy. Motocross has let me come free from my shell and be myself. At the track everyone is friendly compared to school, always helping. Don’t get me wrong, people are nice at school too, but at the track they don’t judge you for what you do or your skill level. I have gained friends and knowledge from this experience. I race with both women and men. Although motocross is known to be a man’s sport, women may one day be the dominators. The women’s class has turned to be my best friends. They have taught me that winning isn’t everything, “if you can’t accept losing, you can’t win,” I have taken this to be one of the quotes that just may change the way I look at things.
There is this girl; she is deaf, and a pro motocross racer! Her name is Ashley, if I were she, I would have never dreamt it to be possible, to race motocross with other pro racers. That just goes to show you can do anything you put your mind to. I would one day like to meet her; she too is 17 years old and has faced many more challenges. She can’t hear if a rider is coming up behind her, and relies on shadows. She can’t hear when she has to shift, and relies on vibration of the bike. She is an inspiration to me, and many other female riders. It just proves that you can’t always be great at everything you do; you have to lose and fall too. Victory wouldn’t feel so great unless you had to work for it. I have faced challenges through motocross, waking up at 4 a.m. to get ready for a race that will last all day. Watching someone you love get sent to the hospital, and not knowing what his or her condition is. I have had to deal with track-drama as well, yes, it is mostly people not judging and being nice, but like most places there are people that may cause drama and ruin one another’s reputation. I have been through what I think, all of it.

Someone once told me, “always remember where you came from, you too were once at the bottom,” this is true. You too were once writing a college essay to impress, you may also know it is very nerve raking and it takes many tries to get it right, even if it isn’t exactly at the point you’d like it to be. Getting an “A” in school or applause on this paper would be almost as great as passing the black and white checkered flag before anyone else. Although I have not done it yet, I am determined, I have one trophy yet to receive, and that is 1st.