August 11, 2008



Mrs. [removed] Robertson
[removed] Highschool
[street removed]
[city, state, and zip removed]

Dear Mrs. Robertson,
After reading the assigned article, “Leading on & off the Court” by Traci M. Ethridge, I reflected on the following topics which I would like to discuss further. These topics include difficulty in standing up for what you believe is right, Mr. Carters philosophy that one must be a great follower before becoming a leader, and how his comments can be applied to my life today.

I know how hard it can be to be stubborn in your beliefs sometimes, especially when it seems the entire world is against them and wants nothing more than to stomp them out. This could happen in the tiniest group, and it makes you feel alienated and put off. If the reward is great you will have more incentive to stand tall but I believe you should always stand tall, even for the littlest thing when you won’t get a reward. It’s about self respect, not winning. Mr. Carter stood tall in the face of a school and town for what he believed was right. In the end the greater reward came to the people he was standing for, who were against him in the beginning. His actions benefited them for life, not just a day, and didn’t just reward them with something that could be forgotten. His actions were noble and firm and because he chose to stand tall and be a leader these kids now have futures.

Mr. Carters philosophy that you have to be a “great follower” before you can be a “leader” is true in my own opinion. I believe it is true because of metaphors I can use from my own life to explain it. When you have had experience as a follower you tend to learn an empathy that you can use to appeal to people and inspire them. When you have this empathy you can easily help people, sometimes without knowing it. You really do need this empathy to lead, whether you get it from the job you want to lead or another job does not matter, as long as you have it. To get it you need to follow the crowd to get a feel for it, how it moves and what it wants and how it reacts. Not only empathy is needed, but you also need the experience being a follower can give you, such as teamwork and communication skills. These are vital and will strongly enhance the empathy you learn. When your followers know you have that empathy and understanding of their situation they appreciate you more and are more inclined to be lead; they feel you’re more prepared and equipped to lead than they are.

Mr. Carters comments about reality are realistic and should definitely be applied today. There are so many kids walking around believing they can make it into pro sports when it’s highly unlikely. They give up their schooling to practice…which makes them suffer in the long run when they realize the truth. It’s a great thing to believe in oneself; but it’s an even better thing when the belief is realistic. I believe, like him, that if people were to be disabused early it would solve a lot of future pains.

Sincerely,
[my name removed]

---

This is my own work, an assignment after reading an article from a magazine.