Role models are different for every person. According to the Oxford Languages Dictionary, the definition of a role model is a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated. To many, a role model is a professional athlete or celebrity. Mine is someone I see almost every day, and someone who I’ve always looked up to since day one: my cousin, Elena.
Elena is a senior at Oakland Catholic High School and just finished her last season on the volleyball team, that made it all the way to the state championship. As a captain on her team, Elena displays qualities that anyone should emulate. For me, the inspiration started well before her time at Oakland Catholic.
Since we were kids, Elena has been a kind, funny, and smart person. Need someone to do a favor or a job for you? Elena would be there. Need someone to crack a good joke? Elena’s your girl. Need help with schoolwork or studying for a test? You know who to call. I wanted to be like her. I wanted to be the person you call when you needed anything. When I started to realize that, it was obvious Elena had become my role model.
When she started to play volleyball. I saw a side of my cousin that I had never seen before. That Elena was resilient, relentless, gritty and excited. When she was playing, there wasn’t a single ball that was going to touch the floor. When she was on the service line, you knew there wasn’t going to be a missed serve. Then I started to play too, and Elena became a role model in two aspects of my life.
Resilience is a part of the game that I have always struggled with. Elena didn’t get into her head, and if she did, it wasn’t for long. Physically, it looked like she never got tired. Early in my volleyball career, physical and mental resilience were hard for me, though resilience grows with experience. But, she was the epitome of what I wanted to be on the court. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing badly; if you are mentally and physically resilient, you can last longer and work harder than the other team. I never wanted to get into my head, and I never wanted to get tired because I saw how she acted, and Elena never got tired.
Relentlessness, one of the most controllable parts of any game. Elena is a libero, a player who never leaves the back court and specializes in all parts of defense, a role that requires constant effort. If I saw a ball drop near Elena, I knew the next one wasn’t going to. I saw her fly around the court effortlessly, making near-perfect passes on every play. It came so naturally to her, and for me, it was a part of the game we both specialized in. We were able to bond on the volleyball court as well as we did off the court. Still, she was better than me at it, so I worked to match her ability and hopefully exceed it.
Grit, the ability to keep going and pursue long-term goals. Elena had a goal this year: to make it a long and far season with a star-studded senior class team. Not only did they accomplish those goals, but they also outdid them. When they lost to Beaver Area 3-0 in the WPIAL championship, they were down but determined. In the state semi-finals, Oakland and Beaver met again, but this time the tables turned; Oakland beat the Bobcats 3-2. Not only did Elena display grit, but the whole team did. They had surpassed their long-time goal by making it to the state championship match. Though they would lose, I had never been more proud or inspired by her.
Being excited is just another controllable and arguably the most important part of any game. Though Elena usually keeps a cool head during play, in huddles and talking to teammates, her energy is unmatched. She can bring up the whole team with one play or one huddle like it was nothing. Managing your emotions is an integral piece of being an athlete, whether it’s football and you’re getting ready to run through a wall, or it’s cross country and you’re staying calm so you don’t fatigue. Managing emotions was hard for me to control on the court for a long while, until I reached high school, but Elena was the model; she was the inspiration.
A role model’s qualities form their character, and Elena has one of the best characters I’ve ever had the chance to meet. Though the beauty of a role model is that someone else’s inspiration won’t inspire me. People see different parts of a person and adapt to them; everyone meets a different character. It’s not about star power, or public appearance, or even if they’re an influence on someone else. It’s about what that person means to you, what their character means to you.
Though in the future I hope to not just be like Elena in personality, but also in inspiration. I want to be a role model to someone like Elena is to me. That’s what makes a role model. Not only inspiring someone to be like you, but also inspiring them to carry on the inspiration. And carrying on the inspiration ensures another series of role models to come.
