My Junior year I adopted a freshman during quarantine through football. I have helped him with staying on track and not ditching school. I have developed a close relationship with him and I now call him my son now.

My freshman year I joined the football team. It was my first time playing the sport and I didn't even know the rules, but I was determined to get in the game. I showed up to practice early, I did every drill, and did my best to try and learn the plays. However no matter what I did i couldn't beat out the guys in front of me in the line up. Every day I worked my butt off,  week I stood on the sideline on Thursday afternoon and watched the game. Week after week flew by and it was eventually my last game. I still held hope that I'd at least get to play once. At the final play of the game I finally heard my coach yell my name. Of course I was in my usual place, right next to him,  anticipating this moment. I call out my teammate and go in on defense. I get to the line, heart pumping, adrenaline flowing and then I hear the ref. The play I had been put in was a QB kneel. It was a formal procedure to end the game. I had worked all those weeks and months for nothing and I was heartbroken. I went home with my head down, but that day lit a fire in my heart. I decided next year wouldn't be the same.  Just two weeks after the season ended I was working out with Coach Afoa's strength and conditioning program beast mode.  The next season I started every single game, and played many games for defense and offense, I even played a few weeks as a kicker. The joy I have had with football I owe to that terrible pain I felt in failure I felt freshman year, and so I am thankful for that failure.