Throughout my life I've always been the underdog. I've always been the smallest and not quite the smartest and maybe not the best at every sport I've played. We all have our guilty pleasures, and mine is when people doubt me.

When I first got diagnosed with my heart condition no one believed in me. I was cut from a team and released from a team because they believed I was "too sick" to play. And it really pissed me off. There was nothing worse than two coaches doubting me when that was the sport I grew up around. What was I supposed to do now?

So yeah, I got mad and I cried (I'm an angry crier) then I got off my butt and found a new sport. I found rugby, and I made myself work to be a good player. I was athletic, sure, but I couldn't say I knew the game all that well. I didn't get benched for a bad tackle, and I didn't get pulled out for making a mistake, I just kicked myself in the butt and said, "Do better." So I did. That year, that was the only coach that believed in me.

So then we came to my heart surgery and people started doubting me again. They believed I wouldn't be playing rugby that season and that I would be stuck in the hospital recovering, rather than getting better at a sport I loved. In two weeks, I was back. I can't say it was my best game, because it wasn't, but the only thing that mattered was the fact that I was playing and that I proved people wrong.

Now one thing I'm doubted on for sure right now is the fact that I'll be doing Army ROTC. I'll be starting in less than a month and right now not a lot of people think I can do it. I've had people laugh at me and say, "Sure, OK" about going into the Army. They see me as too small and too "unhealthy" (yes because I still have my heart condition) to be able to even do PT at the least. Everything I do is a joke to them. So when I train, I train hard. I tell myself that if I'm not one of the best everyone will think they're right, and I can't have that. I take my runs, I go to PT and I make sure that I'm working harder than the day before.

I've faced a lot of unfortunate events in my life and a lot of unfortunate people, but if there's something I know I want, I will do everything I can to work for it. Your doubt makes me stronger than you will ever understand. I find it a good thing that people doubt me. It makes me feel like they're scared, like that I, someone who is pretty small but pretty deadly, can actually succeed and be the best. Because all you have to do is set your mind to it. So, keep doubting me. I like it.