Off the field, we're like sisters to Jaimie. We enjoy her company, are there whenever she needs us, share plenty of inside jokes, and just smile at the sight of her. And to her, we are her inspiration.
She is also ours.
But, how does that translate to us on the field?
To our captain Marissa Mertens, it's Jaimie's strength. Not many people undergo in a lifetime what Jaimie has underwent in only eleven years. It's a wonder to us all how she manages to get out of bed every morning, let alone go to school, have a social life, and just be a kid. Her strength is what has inspired Marissa and made her into one of the most feared players in our conference. Not because she is a bully, but because she is strong. She knows how to never give up and always keep fighting, and we have Jaimie to thank for that.
To our freshmen, it's her courage. What Jaimie has been through has left her with the one character trait that we all want to develop: fearlessness. Being the newcomers this past season, the freshmen were thrust into an uncomfortable environment not knowing what to expect. Through Jaimie, they were able to be brave. Seeing how Jaimie can stare adversity in the face and walk right into it inspired them to do the same.
To me, it's her happiness. It's how innocent and carefree Jaimie is, despite what troubles she is facing. It literally baffles me how she can always show up more jolly and excited each time we see her. Even on her worst days, she faces the world with a smile. That's how I try to play. Soccer is a competition of course, but really, it's just a game. It's not a tumor. Why let something so menial as one game, practice, or moment on the field ruin your joy? For that reason, I don't take anything too seriously (which my coach doesn't always approve of.) But, it keeps the team together. In tough moments, things heat up, but I'm able to keep us cool. Whether it's through a joke, a laugh, or a smile, if Jaimie can show up with a smile - so can we.
And to the team as a whole, it's just her. She's Jaimie, and that's enough for all of us. Watch the following video to see why we play for her. Coach says it best:
Live in the moment, play in the moment.
This post was my favorite of all because of how inspirational and personal it was. It truly showed us who Jaimie is and what she represents for certain parts of the team, as well as the team as a whole. You do a great job of showing us what she means to you by your spacing and paragraph separations.=, and the video to conclude this post was a great idea because it really sums up what you had already said, and ties your post up nicely.
ReplyDeleteOverall, you did a great job this week and I look forward to your next post!
-Stephanie
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteWonderful post. This post captured the true meaning behind both your and your team's relationship with Jaimie. Each week, I feel like I'm getting to know you, Jaimie and Marist's soccer team more and more on a personal level just via your posts alone, which I feel is showing just how successful your writing is.
The way you structured the post was great... I really liked how you broke it up as it added a lot of emotion and created a nice sense of organization without seeming like an essay template. Touching on the captain, Jaimie, freshmen, your coach and yourself added depth to the post and let your audience in to your soccer community and let us get to know everyone rather than just you and Jaimie. The video was an awesome addition too!!
Loved this post, keep it up. :)
-Renee
I really enjoyed seeing some outside perspectives in your post this week. Using the same opening phrases for your paragraphs that highlight each group is a smart idea. The parallelism adds cohesion and a more conversational feel to your writing. I will definitely try to incorporate such a writing tactic in my blog. This week, you remind readers that each person has a unique story. Jaimie inspires, not only because she has bravely battled an illness, but because she is positive. The video of your coach is certainly effective, as it contextualizes your message. She is not only speaking to your team, but to the readers, as well. You create intimacy by going behind the scenes to the extent of a normally private talk. The dynamic between your coach and your team is also interesting. The personal videos have been adding realness and depth to your posts. I am definitely going to continue to incorporate pictures in my posts, but I want to try to experiment with video. As I stated last week, your concision is excellent. I will try harder to shorten my future posts as much as possible. One element that would add even more flavor to your posts would be quotes, as the readers could then hear the voices of others. Overall, though, your posts and your writing have been great so far. Keep it up!
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