Upon entering his first year at Harding Charter Preparatory High School, Xavier Rhone faced the challenge of navigating a new social setting while accomplishing athletic goals. He recounts that in his first semester he was not close to anyone, until he opened up to others.
People find common ground in the most common places. For Rhone, this was the cafeteria lunch table. While discussing the newest Travis Scott album, he solidified a shared interest with peers.
“Music was the entry point to shared information,” Rhone says.
Among other common interests, basketball stood out. One of Rhone’s goals was to try out for the team. While he made the roster, his coach said he probably would not last.
“You may not play. I’m not going to promise you anything,” Rhone recalls his coach saying.
Rhone heard the coach’s words not as criticism, but as a wake-up call to improve. What Rhone lacked athletically, he made up for with personal attributes. He changed his attitude and that in turn changed his play.
“Little things like running through that last sprint,” he says about practicing, “Keeping your head up, talking to your teammates, trying to keep everybody engaged, having a good attitude even though nobody wants to be there.”
By being himself, he earned a spot on the team, gained new friends and learned his way around a new school. Freshman year can be intimidating, but by staying true to himself, Rhone says he overcame adversity.
