Finding Strength and Purpose Through a Health Related Setback by Austin

Finding Strength and Purpose Through a Health Related Setback by Austin - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

“Coach Stegman from Five Star called. He wants to see you for a private tryout,” my dad said. Five Star’s general tryout was rescheduled due to rain and conflicted with my Canes tryout, so I had missed it. I was excited to get the call! It had been a while since I played for a high-level Majors team. I had been selected for USA Baseball’s NTIS team as an 11U and even missed my first week of middle school to play at the National Training Center in Cary, NC. That was more than two years ago, though…before I stopped growing.

We pulled up to the field. I was 100% ready to show what a clutch, technical hitter I was. Coach Stegman approached as I was getting my gear. “Sorry, this probably isn’t going to work,” Coach Stegman told my dad as if I were invisible. “The guys on my team are all this tall,” he remarked, holding his hand by his head, “and most have 5 o’clock shadows coming in. Well, you’ve come all this way. Let’s get him a workout and see if I can give him any pointers.” I was respectful and gave my best effort, but my heart sank with disappointment and anger. Getting rejected after a tryout for poor performance is one thing, but this was the first time I had been dismissed solely due to my physical appearance. It burned.

It was November 16, 2020. I was 13 years old, 4’-10”, and 92 pounds. It had only been a few months since my pituitary stimulation test and brainstem MRI. After my growth seemed to stop over the past few years, we would finally receive an official diagnosis: idiopathic growth hormone deficiency. Thankfully, I would go on to be approved for highly successful treatment. Height, however, was just the most noticeable side-effect of my treatment. Many of my health-related improvements went unseen, like immunity, organ and cardiovascular development, blood sugar regulation, tooth eruption, and bone density.

The journey was neither easy nor quick. Nightly injections in my stomach for over five years were both a blessing and a burden. Pain accompanied the accelerated growth rate. My knees ached after running. Ibuprofen and ice packs were my best friends post-practice. Through it all, I was determined to make my high school teams for both baseball and basketball. I knew that being smaller meant having to work twice as hard, and my determination and drive paid off! I was a multi-sport athlete in Grades 9-10, and finally, through all the practice and pain, I made my varsity basketball team in Grades 11-12.

Looking back, I am grateful for that November tryout. It left an indelible mark on me. After feeling invisible to a coach who automatically dismissed me because he equated size with ability, I patiently strive to prove to everyone I interact with that this is not the case. When I mentored a team of 10U ballplayers, I ensured all my critiques of their performances were constructive and positive and that even the smallest players felt “seen.” That tryout experience has also made me fiercely determined to meet my goals, no matter what curveballs life throws my way. Right now, for example, I am determined to dunk a basketball. I can dunk a tennis ball and even hang on the rim, which not so long ago seemed impossible. It is a work in progress, but I will get there! I also always try to be open to ways I can improve. Even when coaches like Coach Stegman deliver a negative or biased assessment, they might still have a “golden nugget” of advice that could be key to improvement.

That November tryout experience and my health journey have taught me that being patient, determined, and coachable are crucial to success. They have recolored how I see the world, taught me new levels of empathy for others and inspired me to pursue a career in medicine.

After graduating 5th in my class out of nearly 500 students at Walnut Grove High School, I earned my place at the University of Texas at Austin where I was early-accepted. I am currently a first-year student, majoring in neuroscience on a pre-medical track and I am also a student in the UT-Austin College of Natural Science’s prestigious Polymathic Scholars Honors program.

I know my time at UT-Austin will continue to challenge me as I work hard to attain my next goal of entering medical school and becoming either a pediatric endocrinologist or neurologist who will impact the lives of young patients in innumerable ways. I am so grateful to my own doctor for her excellent care and empathy. I want to give back to the community of children with similar endocrine conditions as mine who need to feel “seen” with compassionate care. I know that with my strong work ethic and the strength I have found in myself through my health journey, I will become part of the next generation of healthcare professionals serving the world.