<p>I'm almost finished my essay, and it's about how playing football has given me the best memories of high school, and how it's taught me that daunting challenges offer the best rewards. I've had a pretty "easy life" so I can't think of any personal tragedy/obstacle instance to write of.</p>
<p>It's all in the details. There's nothing wrong with sports as a topic, although "How I Won (or Lost) the Big Game" has probably been done to death. You do need to look for a fresh angle.</p>
<p>There is an anthology of books published every year compiling the best short stories, travel writing, poetry and sportswriting. Take a look at your local Barnes and Noble. You should also look up the work of Frank Deford, a terrific writer for Sports Illustrated. I particularly enjoyed his articles from the seventies and eighties, when he used to do multi-page treatments of everything from the Olympics to bridge.</p>