Personal Statement

My name is Gideon Vana and I am a hard working baseball player, who is truly dedicated to this sport.  I was not gifted with as much natural athletic talents as some, however, with the talent that I do possess and the hard work that I put in, I will be a better baseball player because of it. Plus,  I have learned through my three high school sports (cross country, swimming and baseball) that determination and persistence have  dramatically increased both my skill level and performance results.  I have been a catcher since I was six years old and have been taking catching lessons for two seasons with Marcus Hanel.  I am currently on the varsity baseball team at my high school and am playing with Thundercats (Lake Mills) 17U Club Team this summer. I have a 3.9 GPA.

When it comes to choosing what school I would like to go to, my options are expansive. I am mainly looking at Midwest states (South Dakota, Kansas, Indiana, etc.) but I am open to going anywhere.  I am looking forward to attending a college where I can balance both receiving a good education and playing baseball. My top two choices for a major right now are either Sports Management or Athletic Training.  Financial assistance is going to be very important to me in the college selection process, as my family will have high need.

Knowing that I am capable of playing baseball in college makes me more passionate for this sport.  What I can offer to a team is the promise to always work hard, to be a team player, be coachable, and never give up.  My realistic athletic goals are to continue playing the sport I love at a highly competitive level, to make an impact on the team and to be a positive and encouraging example to those after me.  At the end of the day, I want to know that I made a difference and my contribution resulted in my team's success.