What does it exactly feel like to be a stranger in the village? Does it even have a specific feeling? Do you feel lonely, scared, or nervous? There was once a time where I had the same feelings as you. Most people who know me would not even believe me based off of my personality and how I act. It’s really funny how now matter your character, when put in an uneasy situation most people become shy and nervous. You see being a stranger in the village should not deter you from changing that view, break out of your shell and just speak out, you never know who is listening.
It was the summer of 2015 in late August. I was invited to go tryout for the nation’s best 16u travel baseball team; The East Cobb Astros. When I got to the field where
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The first person who started talking to was James Parris, his first words were “Wassup foo, you gone make the team?” I laughed at the comment and responded with, “Wassup bro, of course I’m gonna make the team.” Saying that comment with zero confidence at all. After stretching it was finally my chance to showcase why I was invited to the tryout in the first place. We started off with throwing a bullpen for the head coach Guerry Baldwin, who is basically a youth baseball legend. Coach Guerry has coached some of the top stars in the major league right now. So for me to get the chance to pitch in front of him is just a huge opportunity in …show more content…
Finally it was my time to pitch, the way the tryout was set up two pitchers would throw at the same time and just alternate pitches. The other pitcher I would throw with was Jack Friedman who would also make the team. You see Jack could throw really hard but could not stay in the strike zone to save his life and it seemed as if Coach Guerry loved him. After every pitch he threw coach would scream, “FANTASTIC!” Coach loved Jack so much he stopped both of us in the middle of throwing and told him he made the team. While I probably threw the best bullpen of my life coach didn’t even notice me. When I finished he said, “That’s it? Ok great who’s next?” Since they didn’t allow parents to watch the bullpens my dad was waiting right outside. His first question was, “How was it?” I responded with, “I probably didn’t make the team.” And walked away. But I guess coach did notice me because he later told the assistant coaches that I had the best bullpen out of everyone at the
It was our last game of pool play on the second day of the tournament, and the other team’s pitcher was a friend of mine so I was excited to go against her. It had been a long day so I wasn’t in the field, but my coach left me in the batting line up. A few innings in it was my turn to bat, so I jogged out on the field, calm and confident that I would do well. After a few pitches I ended up with two strikes on me and I was getting nervous about the outcome of my at bat. The next pitch came and I made solid contact, so on instinct I started my sprint towards first base.
I started to think about what college and position I would go to and play. When I did my reasearch I found out where I was going. The University of Oregon is the school I would go to and I would play pitcher for the
Some kids that have been playing for a long time got cut. I couldn’t believe it. The next day at practice coach said now that you made the team we are going to have a tryout for who is going to start and make lines according on skill and your ability to work. Every drill I was first, we ran a thing called the stair way to haven, I was first.
“Hello my name is Coach Ventura but you can call me Ace. So, we will be doing some drills for the next 3 days to a--.” My face broke out in red and I was speechless. I thought that there was only one day of tryouts. I calmed my nerves and gained back my composure. I refocused my hearing on the coach when she was in the middle of saying,” …--a number and go to your group.” I didn’t know the first part, but I joined into what everyone else was doing which was getting a duct tape number on the back of our shirts to determine what group we started out in and rotated to. As the tryouts went on I was feeling more
Several summers ago, I made my first All-Star baseball team for a local little league. When I heard that I was picked, I was overwhelmed with happiness. A lot of my friends and teammates in years past had made the team, but never me. I was finally selected by the head coach of the All-Star team, and considered it quite an honor.
As I lay on my bed, that night I could still hear the umpire calling “ballgame” and solidifying victory and our mark on Mountain Grove Softball history. The adrenaline and excitement of the moment were still running through my veins as my mind started to drift. I soon found myself thinking of
As a kid, I was born and raised to love the great game of baseball. Many young kids have had dreams to become professional athletes, and achieve prestigious awards/ titles. Like many kids I’ve always dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player. As a younger kid with my head in the clouds, I never really knew what it was like to put my actual blood, sweat, and tears into something I loved, until my worst season I had ever played. This whole story starts in the beginning of my ninth grade baseball season. It started out different from every other year because, of course I was a freshman. This was the first year I had ever practiced with the varsity squad, it was much more difficult, but I still figured I was going to do great. After weeks
It all began one day when I was six years old. My dad and I were playing catch at my grandparents house in the yard. I decided that I wanted to pitch so I told my dad to crouch down like a catcher. As I began to pitch I would try to imitate my favorite pitcher at the time, Cardinal starter, Chris Carpenter. My grandpa would sit in a chair by the window and watch me throw. After throwing a few pitches my grandpa decided that he wanted to come outside. With his walker, he made his slow walk outside to get a closer look at me. “I think we’ve got something here” he said to my dad as I continued to pitch. From that moment on, I always wanted to pitch in front of him just to listen to what he would have to say about me.
The first time in which baseball was referred to as “the National Pastime” came from a New York newspaper titled the New York Mercury in 1856. But, this title for baseball came a bit early. Baseball during the time was a New York game played mostly by immigrants. People who were new to America adopted the game as their own, making new baseball clubs, while the Knickerbockers continued to thrive...
For the past eight years of my life I have been playing softball. It all started when I was eight years old and my dad took me to my first softball practice. I was thrilled to be playing a sport. My dad grew up playing baseball and his sisters played softball so he was ecstatic when I was finally old enough to play. I loved softball for the first 4 years of playing when it was all fun and games. In middle school softball became harder and more competitive and I slowly started to lose interest in it. I thought high school softball would be different; I would love my teammates, make varsity, and all along have a great first season of highschool softball… I was wrong.
Trusting your own skills and working hard to get to the level you want to be at in baseball is commonly referred to as “the process.” The average salary of a major league baseball player is 3.5 million while minor leaguers make about 20,000 dollars a year. Passion and money is the sole reason why every baseball player wants to make it for the top. Professional baseball is composed of seven levels which can be categorized into three levels consisting of the lower, middle, and upper levels. Each level is different, but everyone has the same goal. Make it to the major leagues. As long as players work hard and stay dedicated they can achieve their dreams. The greatest thing about baseball is that is is like Florida weather because it is so unpredictable.
He asked me, “Do you want to join the varsity team for the playoffs?” Without hesitation I said, “Of course coach.” I started practicing with them and couldn’t wait for this great opportunity to play on varsity in eighth grade. There are a total of five rounds in a high school playoff and the fifth round of course being the state championship, and to win a series you have to win two out of three games. Coach said, “You’re being called up to be a pitch runner for the pitcher and catcher during the games if they reached base.” I said, “Sounds good coach, thanks for the opportunity.” The first three rounds were pretty easy and then we had to play Mars Hill and they were really good. They had two great pitchers, one was going to Alabama and the other was going to Mississippi State. We won the first game and ended up winning the second game on a walk-off homerun to send us to the state championship game. I could not believe that this was happening. I have been dreaming of this ever since I was a little
Upon arrival at the opening game of the season for the Whitecaps, I feel very self concious, as if I do not belong here. I glance at my companions and laugh, they probably feel the same way. We walk up the steps of the stadium and I smile, momentarily caught up in the sweet charm of a group of elderly men, playing 'Take Me Out To The Ballpark' in old fashioned brass style. This will be an interesting night at the very least.
For the past one hundred years in the United States, the best American past time was baseball. A typical game day would include a dad and son going to a game and catching a foul ball. But what happens if a war breaks out and the dads and the players on the team are enlisting? Who will play? During World War II, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was created. A movie called “A League of their Own” was based off of the AAGPBL. The director of the movie is somewhat accurate to what happened in the AAGPBL. The director of this movie was Penny Marshall (Barnes and Nobel). The producer of the film is Elliot Abbott and it was copyrighted on July 1st, 1992 (IMDb.com). The movie has three main characters. Tom Hanks plays Jimmy Dugan, Geena Davis plays Dottie Hinson, and Lori Petty plays Kit Keller. I really enjoyed this movie and I hope you might have some interest in it after you read this essay.
A travel of over 3000 miles for some, a 210 mile drive for me, just to arrive at the biggest gathering of over 1,500 twelve year olds; all just to play baseball. The only place that would be suitable for such an event is Cooperstown Dream Parks, every baseball players heaven. Cars have come to Cooperstown from everywhere for this week long tournament. I met children my age from all over the United states. I became friends with kids from Ohio, Illinois, California, I even met a player from Puerto Rico who barely spoke any english. The windows of everyone 's car decorated with the names and numbers of teams and players. Excited baseball teams spill from their Barracks and hustle toward the already crowded seating area. Festive music played over