By: Vraj Patel

I was trapped by the laughter coming closing in from all around me. I couldn’t distract myself from the noise. The voices around me suddenly became quiet and one voice was louder than the rest. This voice was my inspiration.

This voice was Coach Watanabe. He told the entire team that I was the new captain for the team. The team was thrilled and happy that I was a leader for them. Until this point, I had been very helpful and kind to others. I was not aware that I was going to become a primary role for the growth of our cross country team. The idea of becoming a leader never really crossed my mind.

In the past, I had been very helpful and kind to others. I was seeded 5th in our varsity team, so I had some grounds to prove that I work hard. I honestly thought I was under qualified for the position that I obtained. This “promotion” allowed me to express who I really longed to become as a person and an athlete.

Being a captain for my team has been a humbling experience for me because I have never really experienced talking in front of about 130 people at once. In middle school, I used to be the person who would have a massive anxiety attack by just the thought of going up in front of people. One moment in my captain career that stood out was when I was able to determine a workout and tell people what they should and should not do based on my thoughts on their running.

I’m not just a captain for my team, but an individual who provides inspiration to his peers in order to become a better person and a better leader.