Team Sports Made Me the Perfect Candidate for This Job

Why, yes, I also grew up playing team sports and they made me who I am today. I strongly agree that working in a team environment is just like playing sports. I am an all-around athlete who dabbled in all the sports, cerebrally.

What sport did I play? My answer to that is—what sport didn’t I play? It’s not as simple as me being on a “team” or “playing a sport” or “winning goals.” My relationship with sports is multifaceted.

My interest in basketball was first piqued by Elizabeth Wakefield’s boyfriend, Todd, in the “Sweet Valley High” books. He was a star basketball player. I loved reading about Todd dunking (that’s when you high-five the basketball basket with your hand if you’re very tall) and then taking Elizabeth out on dates. I related to Elizabeth, who spent all of her time reading and wanted to be a writer someday. And just like me, she was very much into team sports, by association.

Tell you about a time I participated in team sports in real life? Oh, yes, of course. Well, soon after discovering Elizabeth’s boyfriend, I met a real-life boy who was passionate about basketball. I heard rumors that he had a poster of a famous basketball player in his room. So, I did what I do best—I studied.

I confiscated my brother’s basketball trading cards, locked him out of our room, and memorized them by using mnemonic devices. By the end of the week, I was able to name every basketball player on every team and their scoring averages. This information came in handy at a party (a girls-and-boys party, not to brag) where the boy of my interest listened attentively as I recited the scoring averages of every player on the New York Knicks, only to learn that he loved the Chicago Bulls. Opposing sports alliances can break your heart. That’s one important thing I learned from basketball.

Did I play soccer? I did not, per se. But I’ve seen soccer played, so I understand the essence of it. My dad used to kick the ball around with my brother in the park. They’d kick it to me, but I was usually busy developing characters for the plays I wrote and acted in with my best friend. The plays were a mishmash of Mel Brooks movies, “Interview with the Vampire” scenes, and Hamlet. The soccer ball made a great stand-in for the skull, so I would often “borrow” it. You could say that soccer helped me become a creative problem-solver.

Have you heard of lacrosse? No, I did not play it, but I just recently learned that it’s a sport, so I thought I’d share that tidbit.

I’m also very connected to baseball…Oh, you’ve heard enough? Great, I love how we have this easy rapport and a mutual understanding because of our shared love of playing sports. I have a few team-building ideas right off the bat (like in baseball!) that I’d love to run by you.

Excited to join your team!