David Aoyama

Background

About David Aoyama

Alpha. Blue. GO!" The ball is snapped, the quarterback throws it up, and I see the ball in the air. it was dropped. We lost. We are out of the playoffs. Just like that, my football career was over. Tears streamed down my face as I got up from my position on the bench and joined my team as we congratulated the victors. Jokes aside, although I didn't spend as much time as I wanted to on the field under the Friday Night Lights, I credit a lot of the development of my character to my time playing football in high school. What I learned on the field has carried me to this day and led me to where I am now and what I want to do in the future. At my core, I am a person who will put in my 110% to better those around me and do whatever it takes to put my team in the best position possible to succeed. This was built on the turf where, day in and day out, I would study film, go over tendencies with our starters, and line up across from them, ready to hit them the hardest I could so that when the stadium was packed, each play would feel like a piece of cake. Oh! What position did I play? I played linebacker and quarterback. These positions are often considered the leader of their respective side of the ball. Plays are signaled in, and calls must be communicated to all 10 others on the field. If one person is wrong, we are all wrong. Giving up an easy touchdown taught me how vital communication is when working with a team; everyone has a specific job, and each job must be done correctly for a successful end goal. This is where I get my love for taking charge when needed comes from. I consider all options, just like how I had to scan the entire field the 5 seconds before the quarterback snapped the ball each play on defense. I want to continue to play linebacker wherever I am. I will relay messages and ensure everyone around me is on the same page, ready to execute at any moment. Football also taught me to prioritize team victories. Yes, individual victories are strived for and celebrated, but having everyone cheer sounds much louder than just one person cheering. Currently, my future is following the software engineering path, but the goal of achieving those team victories remains the same. Instead of interceptions or touchdowns, it's successful code production that meets the needs of others. I will love football forever. Committing myself to the more outstanding picture is nothing new to me, and I find reward in seeing my work positively impact my peers and team. Wherever I end up, I will continue to be a leader on that new field.