A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. People learn with age and mistakes, and life inevitably throws endless whirlwinds of complications at us, but the more complications we endure, the better off we'll be. handle them, the easier they become and the wiser we become. I started life on Hill Top, an estate in West Bromwich. It was never the nicest place to live and when I was younger it was probably in its most degenerate state. Gangs thrived in the area, the crime rate was exceptionally high, and the barbaric depths of poverty continued to grow. Growing up at the local primary school, I had learned to get by, deal with gangs and stay out of trouble, I had learned about right and wrong and I had acquired my moral values. I did well in primary school, consistently getting top grades in class as well. as an athletic success, I was captain of the football team and ran cross country races during years 5 and 6 when I was only in third grade. In a way, my sporting success helped me a lot growing up, it helped me make friends, keep me out of trouble, and kept me off the streets. After leaving primary school I went to Alexandra High in Tipton. It was here that I matured and became what I am now, even though drastic changes and situations constantly pursued me. Like I was cursed, like someone had control of my life and just wanted me to lose my mind. The unpredictability and fluctuations in my life have obviously made it extremely difficult. My life seemed to be going well when at 14 I had trials for Stoke City, I've been playing football since I was 7, it helped me a lot and it always has. It's my hobby and it's the only thing I do to take my mind off things. I passed the tryouts and was offered a scholarship, but declined after deciding I wanted to focus on...... middle of article ......h, which was and still is almost certainly the most important person in my life, I was without a doubt the happiest I had ever been or at least the happiest I can remember, and my life was continually improving. I got my grades, and what's more, I got into King Edwards. My life is still at a high level, but due to the unforgiving circumstances that life throws at us, I know that it is only a matter of time before the destructive and unforgiving wave of tribulation crashes upon us once again. Me. On my 17th birthday, I received "A gentle sea never made a skilled sailor" tattooed on my left rib. A quote that, at the lowest point of my life, helped and pushed me to move forward, a quote that reminds me repeatedly that the skills one acquires and learns in life can only come through struggles and trials, and it motivates me every day to make the most of the highlights of life.