Elijah Jones

I feel fortunate as I can say I have been able to be a leader a handful of times in my life. I think the one experience that means the most to me is this year; I was voted captain for my basketball team. I feel good knowing that my teammates think I am a positive role model.
People don’t really think much about being the captain of the team and what it really entails. Many think basketball is just a game and the captain goes out and shakes the opponents hand before competition, but it is much more. In high school and life there are many pressures and influences. Kids in school want to party and make choices that are not in their best interest. Social media surrounds us; it can be used for both good and bad. Others can use it against you and harm your image, sometimes to where you can’t repair it. My basketball team is like a family, we look out for one another. We need each one of us on the court to succeed as a team. When the big party is happening at school, me and the guys go to dinner and have our own party. I plan diversion activities so we avoid the risk of getting in trouble. As a member of the team, we are not just hurting ourselves; we are hurting the team, school, parents and our reputations. We have more than a game to lose.
What I have realized from being captain is that sometimes I need to go an extra step to reach someone, or take the extra initiative to plan an event to help the team, and most of all that my positive attitude directly