Andrew Medine to Apply for Annapolis

Central High School senior Andrew Medine has applied to Congressman Garret Graves to attend the United States Naval Academy next fall.  Medine serves as Student Council president and co-captain of the Central High Football Team. He is a favorite around campus. In recognition of young Medine’s leadership ability and potential, we invited him to write a short piece on leadership. He accepted.

LEADERSHIP

By Andrew Medine

According to the Webster dictionary, a leader can be defined as “a person who has commanding authority or influence.” A leader is so much more than pointing fingers and giving orders. Joey Jarreau defined a leader by saying, “A leader is someone who holds himself to the highest standard, and by doing so, he is able to hold others accountable. They are motivated to be the best they can possibly be. A leader will push himself out of his comfort zone because they know that is where mental and physical growth will occur. A leader doesn’t necessarily have to be vocal, but can lead by example. A leader makes those around him better”. Although not in any dictionary, I believe that this is a much more accurate description of a leader. Leaders can come from a diverse array of circumstances. Some of the most memorable leaders aren’t the biggest or most athletic, but instead they are the smaller guys who step up in times of dire need.

There are many different ways to exhibit leadership. One event in particular in my life opened my eyes to this was when I tore my labrum as a freshman playing soccer. I was a three-sport athlete. This injury prevented me from pitching during baseball. This was crushing for me since baseball was my favorite sport. I had to sit in the dugout and watch my best friends enjoy their season without me. 

Balancing school, rehab, and attending practice, I became the team’s biggest cheerleader. Even though I couldn’t make a difference on the field I was determined to make an impact from the dugout. I stepped into an unfamiliar leadership role by helping my teammates with drill work, keeping the books during games, and motivating them any way possible. I had always been a lead-by-example type of player, but this experience made me look at things from a different perspective. I realized that the strongest voice can often come from the back of the pack pushing those in front to work hard and fulfill their potential.

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