Personal Statement
When you are little your parents tell you, that you can be anything you want in life. When I was little I wanted to be a basketball player just like Larry Bird. When I was old enough to play football, I wanted to be just like Tom Brady. Now, I want to be a dedicated, determined and passionate young adult that earns a degree in Sport's Management who plays baseball beyond high school. My mom told us daily that with hard work, support of family and a plan there was not anything we could not do. As I grew up, I watched both of parents achieve success in different ways. One thing was sure they had a plan, support of the family and hard work.
My father is in the military and I watched him sacrifice so much over the years: birthdays, holidays, first bike ride and countless other “firsts”. He taught me that sacrifice is necessary if you want to succeed in life. He showed me that you have to be willing to give up the “cool things” in order to achieve greatness. I learned through his actions and sacrifice’s that you have to determined and passionate about your dreams. He taught me that you can have a fabulous job, achieving goals and a personal life if you balance your time.
My mom is the hardest working woman I know, she has worked countless jobs to make sure while Dad was away we did not do without. She would switch jobs to make sure she was home with my siblings and me after school. She put her own education on hold to ensure we had everything we needed to success in our education and sports. When we were young she would get us on the school bus, go to college herself, pick us up after school, help us with homework, and prepare dinner. Then when Dad came home she would leave to go back to college and then her night time job as a stocker at the commissary on base. She even did this being 9 months pregnant. She never complained or said she was tired. She would run us around to cheerleading, basketball, running, BMX, and baseball on the weekends without so much as a yawn. She has taught me that you can achieve so much with good time management and dedication.
Playing baseball has not always been easy; when I started out I was the only left handed kid; always the smallest one on the team and coaches struggled on teaching me the fundamentals because they were always showing me right handed. I would end up playing positions that were not designed for left handers. My first position was third base on T-ball. As the years followed I played first base, catcher, and outfield and started to wonder if I could pitch. In third grade, I pitched my first baseball and it was not pretty. I practiced hard and soon developed a passion about the game of baseball. I loved that with a switch of the grip on the ball you could change the pitch.
When middle school came around I got an invite to play on a travel team that practiced all year round, including in the snow. This is where I started to dream about playing ball after college. I started giving up trips to the movies, hanging with the boys, and beach trips with friends to watch you tube videos of baseball drills. . I practiced 4 days a week for 3 hours; had weight training 2 days a week for 2 hours and games on the weekend. Coach allowed me to play in the outfield, 1st base and started pitching again. I fell in love deeper with the game. We made it to the State Championship game and I broke my left elbow. I honestly thought I would never pitch again. The next 2 years I was not able to play baseball because of the elbow surgeries, several medical issues and a move across the country.
I started my freshman year, weighting only 70 pounds and barely 5 feet tall. A friend I had in Chemistry was telling me how he was going to try out for the baseball team and I should do it too. It would be the best suggestion I never took. I tried out and made the Junior Varsity team as a starter in the outfield. I soon found my passion and love for the game was stronger than ever. Later that year, I made the Varsity Baseball team as well and even start a game in left field. I worked hard in the outfield to prove I could do whatever coach needed me to do. I wanted to prove to myself and my coaches that I could be a committed player and make a difference on the team.
My sophomore year, a string of season ending injuries to our JV High school team, would leave us needing a pitcher several hours before a game. I remember it in slow motion, the coaches asking any of us players, if we could pitch and who was going to step up. Without even realizing it my hand was up and I told Coach Jake, I can do it. I remember the Coaches faces, “Like really kid, you”. I pitched 3 innings that game and did the best I could have hoped for. The first inning was 3 up and 3 down; second inning I had 1 single hit; and the third inning was 3 up and 3 down. A fire had been lit and there was no stopping me. That was 18 months ago, now I am on the rotation of pitchers on the Varsity team and I have never enjoyed baseball this much in my life. Making a Varsity High school team and doing whatever the coaches need to have a successful team, is my job and I take pride in that. I have a drive of commitment, dedication and determination that I never knew was possible. I have taken what I learned from my parents, siblings, and coaches and I have applied it to every aspect of my life.
I have improved my GPA from a 2.8 my freshman year to currently earning a 3.5 first quarter senior year. I work a part time job for the Department of Defense, MWR. I still race BMX and currently hold the number 1 State plate in my age division. I am more determined than ever to achieve a college education and play baseball beyond high school. I wanted to earn a degree in Sport’s Management and do it while playing baseball for a team that can continue to drive me to be a better person for society. My mission, is too live my life as best as I can by being better than the people who doubted me, by overcoming all my medical issues and striving to be the best parts of my parents and success in life by making dreams reality.
