Nothing can overcome a huge heart. Now hear me out, when I say, “huge heart” I don’t mean having a 20-inch long heart. When I say “huge heart” I am usually talking about spirit, unless you know of a person with a 20-inch long heart. Spirit is described as “the force within a person that is believed to give the body life, energy, and power” by Webster's dictionary. I believe spirit is the reason why I was and continue to be successful in the sport of Football.

I first joined The Jets my 8th-grade year, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. A friend of mine had told me that the team needed more players and that he thought I would be a good fit. Most of the people on my football team had been playing most of their lives while this was my first time ever playing. I cannot begin to express how hard the first few weeks of football practice were for me. I usually didn’t know what to do and when I did, guess what?, I would do it wrong. After miserably failing so many times, a lot of people quit the team, but I was not one of those people. I continued to play every week, even if I didn’t “start” or get much field time. I kept trying my best, giving it my all, every day during practice, but I still didn’t get much playing time.

That all changed during week 5. The coaches couldn’t stand that the player playing center was not giving it  his all during every play and they decided to give me a shot. Knowing I would finally get some field time, I tried 110% that week during practice to make sure I was ready on Saturday. Saturday came along and, well… we won. The moment the game ended, I went to my quarterback and said, “We won” and I still remember his exact words, “We won, because of you.” After that game, I continued to play center for the rest of the season. The coaches decided to start me at the center position because they knew that I had the spirit and motivation to try my best every play.

Nothing can overcome heart, I went from underdog to starting center and if that doesn’t show the power of “heart”, I don’t know what does. I show heart on the field by not giving up when we are down, not slowing down when we are up, and by giving it my all during every rep, no matter if I’m in a championship game or just practicing. Don’t worry, showing heart is not solely for sports. You can show heart in just about anything you do, from washing the dishes to curing cancer.

I show my heart off the field in my schoolwork by completing it to the best of my ability, making sure it is turned in on time, and by re-doing something if it doesn’t turn out right. Showing heart just means you are trying your absolute best and trust me, it will show. So, go out and show some heart! (Not literally, that would be weird).