In March 2024, I was selected with nine other girls on CIS's soccer team to travel to Kingston, Jamaica, to participate in the SoccerFeva 6v6 tournament with schools from the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, and a local school. This was a round-robin style tournament, and my team finished undefeated in first place, which was extremely exciting! We all put in a lot of determination and passion when playing, since one of the biggest challenges faced was players getting injured. With very few subs, we all had to sacrifice to play through the games! I was also selected to be one of the captains for the trip and help lead my team.
Through this trip, I practiced balance in my personal life and the importance of staying strong mentally, regardless of obstacles.
Despite being a short trip, we went to the Bob Marley Museum and the Devon House of the first black millionaire, stopped at local restaurants, and visited Ocho Rios, where we climbed waterfalls! This was a great opportunity to become closer with my teammates and coaches.
The CIS's girls soccer team, along with basketball and volleyball, were able to travel to Medellín, Colombia, in April 2024 for the Caribbean International Sports Association (CISA) tournament. I was lucky to have the opportunity to grow as a soccer player, travel to various parts of the country to talk with locals, learn about their culture, and meet individuals from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. Despite having a fantastic experience, my team did not receive the outcome we hoped for - we battled very hard together through extreme weather and disputes. We practiced the notions of staying humble and showing respect to all of our opponents. Ultimately, we placed 4th but 1st in our pool with the most points.
Through this trip, I became more resilient to change and finding ways to adapt to situations that didn't go as plan, both on and off the soccer field!
When we weren't at the Colombus School playing or cheering the teams, we traveled to Guatapé, Colombia, where we hiked a 656-foot rock and explored what is known as 'South America's most colorful city', where we observed architecture and shopped locally!
I played center defense on CIS's varsity soccer team for the second year. Throughout the season, I was always an encouraging voice for the underclassmen, advising and helping when needed. We finished first in the high school league in Cayman and were undefeated! One challenge I faced was an ACL injury, but I overcame this by showing up to every game and training regardless and doing what I could within my limits.
I volunteered to coach the CIS girls' soccer team for my second year, where I had the same responsibilities as in grade 10. However, I focused on being more of a leader this season with the girls, finding new ways to make the sport engaging, and always offering ways to improve. For example, I researched drills with competition factors to make them more fun and spoke one-on-one with the players after games to make my comments more personalized. Sharing my knowledge of the sport with others has made me a better communicator who is willing to take risks and try new things. This is something I will continue to pursue in grade 12.
Engaging with others while pursuing my interests is essential for living a balanced life throughout high school and being my most resilient and determined version. Some examples include baking and decorating Christmas cookies, joining pottery classes, dancing, and learning how to drive/operate catamaran boats.
Since grade 10, I have been an active member of my school's dive club, where I have had the opportunity to participate in many exciting dives. Some of them include night, cave, shipwreck, and shark dives. The ocean and the organisms within it have always captivated me, and diving has allowed me to explore new dimensions and gain first-hand encounters with marine ecosystems that I would have never been exposed to before. After moving to Cayman, I have been able to engage with this keen interest.
In addition, diving is a hobby that has led me to develop skills beyond my comfort zone. I previously was timid about not being proficient in something or that I would mess up. But, ever since starting to dive, I have learned the importance of having confidence while underwater and trusting my knowledge/capabilities.
I want to highlight my leadership role within this club as well. Being one of the oldest members during the dives has only heightened my communication abilities. Since verbally talking is not possible underwater, using proper hand signals is critical to my and my peers' safety and comfort levels. Moreover, my diving instructors within the club have also selected me as a group leader to ensure all the younger kids were following protocols and not having any difficulties.
Learner profiles: principled, balanced, and communicator
LO1: identify strengths and develop areas for growth
Being a part of a sports team, while also being a leader of them, comes with its challenges - I have undergone times of conflict when dealing with injuries, but also times of success when becoming closer with my teammates and winning tournaments. Taking responsibility for my actions and learning the potential outcomes of my choices within sports has allowed me to become principled and filled with a sense of integrity. Moreover, I learned that I am a good leader who is caring and communicates with others in a manner that includes all. But, I have also realized that an area of improvement for me within all aspects of sports and extracurriculars is that I need to work towards finding a better balance within my life that doesn't favor one sector over another, as this can cause stress and a lack of confidence.
LO2: challenges and skills
LO5: collaboration
Through trying new activities like scuba diving, traveling to different countries, and coaching younger girls, I have realized the essentialism of collaboration and how to express myself confidently and charismatically in order to bring various groups of people together, allowing me to become a more well-rounded communicator. Within sports, collaboration is crucial when conducting game strategies and assisting my teammates when in tough situations; within diving, collaboration is needed to ensure everyone is safe underwater; and when trying a new activity, collaboration is key so that I can ask questions when learning.