I’m someone that is quiet, but loud. Carefree, but has strong opinions. But how can you be both, can’t you only be one or the other? We are all unique, of course you can be both. But how you show either side is how unique you truly are.
I played baseball almost my entire life. From the age of 4 until the ripe old age of 29, I was someone that loved the game and wanted more. When I tore my UCL in our opening district game on May 17th of 2014, I decided that day that I wasn’t going to give up. I tore it in the 1st inning with 2 outs, and decided to keep throwing to keep my team in the game. I lasted 5 innings and left the game winning 3-1, knowing that I did what I could to allow my team to win. Even though we didn’t win the game, I was taught a very valuable lesson that I would'n’t know until I was older.
When I had UCL reconstruction surgery July 1st of 2014, my life really changed. I went from throwing as hard as I could every pitch and every throw, caring about the game in every aspect of my life, to really allowing myself to understand life after baseball. Don’t get me wrong, I took my training and rehab seriously, but I finally understood that there was a life after baseball when before I didn’t see that as part of my life.
After having my scholarship removed in 2016 and venturing off into the world of baseball training on my own, I set off to prove people wrong. I wanted to be the person that worked 2 jobs, paid for private baseball training, and work out on my own and make the majors. But, even doing all of that, I failed. It wasn’t as easy as just working hard, nothing in life is. You have to work hard, keep working after people quit, get better, and get lucky. Sitting here writing this at 29, I finally understand that is the case. Not everyone in this world is made to be great, not every story in this world is made to be a comeback story. We are all made, however, to be great people and work to provide for one another.
That’s what I want for myself and for my community. To be remembered as the people that were good no matter what, and provided all we could to help.
