- July 2019
Personal Statement
Baseball has always been a meaningful part of my life — whether it’s pitching for my high school or travel team, or going to Yankee games with my father, uncle, and grandfather every Friday. Playing since I was three years old, the game has taught me so much on and off the field. The game has shown me how you have to consistently put in work to get the results you want, how to be humble and how to face adversity. A example of adversity I faced was my sophomore year Varsity baseball season where I was a starting pitcher and a position player until, during a Saturday practice, I dove for a ball in the outfield and broke my glove-hand thumb. I would miss the rest of the regular season; it seemed like a real gut punch, but it was a gift. While I healed, I learned how to be a better teammate, how to notice key details about baserunners and hitters, and frankly I re-learned why I love baseball so much. I love the game because of the small intricate details that go into every at bat and every pitch and how no one man single-handedly wins the game for a team. It is the ultimate team sport in that your best player only gets up three or four times or can at most throw 100 pitches. It can take just one moment and multiple players to win a game.
My goal for college is to receive the best education possible, while also continuing to compete and develop in baseball. I am equally dedicated to my academics as I am to bettering my baseball. I love being a student athlete and I can't envision not pursuing baseball in college. I love the grind: the waking up early every morning for practice or a gym workout, the eating healthy to best fuel my body and the camaraderie with teammates. On the field, I love the idea of always having someone's back and never being alone out there. What I love even more are the competitive moments during the game; with pitching in particular, I live for how it’s a battle between the batter's best stuff and my best stuff.
Among the skills I possess that could help your program are my leadership qualities (I will serve as Captain of my high school varsity team next year), my abilities to relate and connect with different types of people, and my ability to create a healthy environment within the program. Leadership wise, I am not afraid to speak my mind, but I believe I lead more by example. Growing up with multiple interests, I am able to relate to people from diverse backgrounds. I have played with a wide range of types of players and I have figured out how to communicate with all these players. I love to create a positive environment within the team, being serious and driven when needed and keeping it light at other times. I have seen that a loose yet focused team always performs at their best. At the end of the day we are playing a game and should enjoy the moment.
