Masie Moncibaez '20 Recruiting Profile

When I was younger, a friend introduced me to a local Little League 10u team. Although I had never played before and felt hesitant, I volunteered to pitch, and I immediately knew that this was something that I really wanted to pursue. Then, I had discussed with my parents and they agreed to help me train and practice. The support that they have given me allows me to push myself even more so that I may one day thank them for helping me come such a long way. As the year progressed, I unfortunately had to sacrifice other commitments such as competitive Tae Kwon Do and piano. However, I had decided to focus on softball to achieve a sense of dedication so that I may improve. Softball not only provides a sense of community, but also the build of character, which ultimately influenced my decision to pursue softball. Furthermore, one of my coaches had mentioned a quote to me that really seemed to resonate with the entire mental aspect of the game: " it is not about being the best, it is about being better than you were yesterday". I had particularly struggled with the possibilities of failure,  but true perfectionism can block a path to success.

Thus, this taught me that mistakes represent elements of change, but it depends on one's willingness to correct the mistake to further improve. In terms of collegiate goals, I am interested in pursuing biomedical engineering. Although softball is an immense part of my life, being able to help people less fortunate and in need is something that I truly value, as well as giving back to the community. The preparatory school that I attend has profoundly affected me in multiple ways. Our three founding principles, verum, bonum, pulchrum ( truth, beauty, and goodness), define what striving for excellence means inside and outside of the classroom. Academics are extremely important to me; my goal is to maintain my 4.0 GPA throughout the rest of high school. Previously, I had difficulty with overcoming the fear of having an answer wrong in class, but my teachers had encouraged me to cultivate the "right kind" of perfectionism in myself. Therefore, exploring beyond a plain answer usually holds something greater. Likewise, when it comes to athletics, I do try to seek any extra work on and off the field that may be available to me. Although improvement of oneself is important, I find that it is equally important to improve others around you in a positive way. Also, I find myself to be a focused, coachable player that always appreciates feedback and enjoys learning new things. Ultimately, I am seeking a highly selective school with strong academics.