Descriptive Baseball Team

It was brutal work that required constant attention - the field was always a little too dry or a little too wet, a little too soft or a little too rough. Like an idol that demanded incessant sacrifice, I would wake up early to tend to the field, painstakingly hosing every inch, only too see my handiwork decimated by collegiate players hours later. Yet the work was never unpleasant - something about merely being in the presence of the field filled me in an ineffable pleasure, so much so that my fellow interns and I would fight over who got to rake the fields each day, lest we be stuck with the ostensibly more interesting task of throwing batting practice to the players. There was something magical about bringing the field back to life after a long day in the summer sun, and each day I did my absolute best to see that those fields received the care that they

We walked together to the field, the spikes on the bottom of my cleats clicking with each step on the parking lot pavement. A huge field with onlookers filling the bleachers on the far side came into view, lit up by the soft evening light. I spotted the girls on my team and my tired looking grey-haired coach. Me and my dad split up, me going to warm up with my team and my dad going to sit with the team parents. As I was passing with my teammates I watched the opposing team carefully. I observed how neat their drills were and how accurate their shots and passes were. They all looked so athletic and that really made me doubt myself. How was I supposed to prove to everyone that I was a good player if I had to play against a team this good? What if I mess up and the other team completely destroys my team? The loud buzzer that ended the warm ups sounded and both teams went to their side of the field. My coach called today’s starters out, and luckily he didn’t choose me. Relieved, I went to go sit on one of the hard metal chairs they provided for the teams on the sidelines. The chairs were uncomfortable but that didn’t bother me. I had other things on my mind. I sat shivering watching the events of the game

I went home full of excitement and quickly recounted to my mom the success I had that day at baseball. I went to bed that night with more confidence than I thought possible and looking forward to another day of baseball. Made my way through school that day visualizing my performance that afternoon for tryouts. With more excitement than nerve I began the second day of tryouts. Thursday we worked on throwing and catching skills, friday was batting. An area in which I struggled a little more than others but with confidence pouring out of me I stepped into the box. Even with the confidence boost working on my skill I struggled heavily and was not happy with my performance. So trying to keep my confidence up I tried to finish that day of tryouts but I could tell that the coaches were less pleased with my performance that day. There’s not a much faster way to be served a large slice of humble pie than to realize you may not be all that you once thought you were. So keeping that in mind I finished the day doing my best. When we gathered together to make final cuts I could feel my heart beating in

I ended up going day two and I felt like I really gave it my all that time, and I think the jv coach noticed me cause she called me out to talk to me and said “hey you did great today, what’s your name?” I responded “my name is Ana and thank you!”. I felt super confident from what she told me, because she noticed i was doing good but before that she told all of the girls that were also at tryouts that it was hard to make any of the teams because their was a lot of girls with talent and there was so much competition and how hard it was for the coaches to choose the teams. I was worried because of what she had said, the next day at school they were giving out the results of who and who didn’t make it in the

As soon as I made my very first varsity baseball appearance, I knew that I had to be the very best I could be or there was never going to be a chance of ever putting on that white and maroon crisp cleaned dri-fit Russel number 18 jersey. My heart was beating beyond faster than it should be at my first at bat because I had always heard “Just wait you haven't seen nothing yet, wait till you face them varsity pitchers.” Players older than me had constantly been saying that throughout my freshman season and it kept repeating over and over in my head like a broken record. Although I had studied the pitcher and had seen with my very own eyes, he wasn’t as good as everyone talked him up to be. I was still overawed and very nervous about messing up.

Practices continued. Nothing changed; except for me. I kept going, I didn’t let them win and I didn’t quit. Now the moment: the first game. I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be. I felt that since I had made it so long already with dealing with the three that I could get through anything. I can honestly say that for my first time really performing I couldn’t have done better. I realized I really can do anything. Things didn’t get too much better, but I think they realized it

When I got there know one was there so I had more time to practice. A little bit later there was a really good player on the other team practicing to but I think that he was the pitcher so I think he was seeing how fast I swung the bat. When I looked over to see how fast ball was going It was going as fast as a hummingbird flapping its wings.

My breakfast started to creep back up my throat as game time got closer and closer. I walked across the patch of grass behind home plate and was towered over by the 30 foot backstop with a huge net suspended from it. My bulging bag of equipment was beginning to make my shoulder hang. I walked down the steps into the cement dugout and placed my bag under the bench that spanned the entire length of the dugout. I sat down, laced up my cleats, and put my warm-up jacket on in preparation for batting practice. I stepped onto the grass surrounding the dugout to get the feeling of how wet the grass was. I dug my cleats into the grass and began my usual routine of taking certain practice swings as I gazed upon the press box in the wake of the backstop. Preceding the burn in my forearms, caused from the practice swings, I marched behind the dugout to the rows of batting cages to wait my turn in line. Pacing back and forth I knew I had to keep my nervousness to a minimum. I popped in a wad of Big League Chew and continued to

Again, tryouts came for the next greuling school year. The only difference from last year, I was prepared. I knew the cheers, I knew the feeling of standing in front of crowd so ecstatic from a winning game and I knew the feeling of a crowd sitting at a loss for words in the face of defeat. I knew my goal and I was absolutely determined to reach it. I could only be described as a lioness on the prowl and the Varsity squad was my prey. Just as anxious as the year before, though this time with a hint of confidence, I made my tryout a culmination of completely everything I had learned from my wildly experienced past. That night, I reached my ultimate goal and earned the prized name of Varsity cheerleader. The next day I practically walked around with an enormous V on my forehead, honored by the position. With all this positivity, I knew there was something to come. That same summer, I hadn’t received a lucky chance to become even a contender in the

For most of my life, I was skilled in organized sports, especially soccer, which I had played for many years. After a successful soccer season my freshman year, I thought that I would make the JV team for sure. At tryouts, I went through the motions of each drill. I breezed through the conditioning tests, doing the bare minimum for each test. I didn’t try as hard as others, as I felt that I was more skillful than most of my peers.

I worked out everyday and practiced every chance I got. When the first day of tryouts came around again, I woke up that morning like every other day, but I knew today was different. I knew that today was the day I was going to redeem myself. When I got to the field most of the guys looked familiar, a few of them even joked around with me and asked "you're back for more?" Unlike the previuos year, I was ready for this tryout. I proved to everyone that doubted me and said I couldn't and I earned my spot on that team. The moment I saw my name on the team's roster was one of my proudest

I was getting ready for tryouts for the Cleveland Barons.The tryouts are at Barons rink. The rink is a gray brick color and has a dark red roof but the inside of the rink is cold, damp, and very drab but it was filled energy, especially during tryouts. I have tried out for many teams, but this was the first year of checking in hockey. I was confident in my ability to make the team so after tryouts were over I asked,

At 10 years old I was told I wasn’t good enough to be a softball infielder, and that the outfield is where I was meant to be. I refused to accept this, although I was smallest on the team, the weakest, and probably the least likely to have any chance playing the infield, I would not be told what I could or could not be. So I worked hard.

Being part of multiple travel softball teams as well as high school teams have taught me about the importance team unity in achieving team goals. I have learned that selflessness, a positive attitude even when faced with adversity, and a great work ethic will promote a successful team. Softball does consume a great portion of my time, but I am extremely organized and have sustained a 4.0 G.P.A. During this school year alone, I have participated in six softball tournaments, four of which were out of state. My family has been extremely supportive throughout my entire recruitment process and I would not be as successful as a person or athlete without them. Because of my year-round dedication to practice, lifting, and craft, I have been recruited to University of Illinois at Springfield, a division II School to play

their team to teams with deeper pockets. The A’s have the least money of any major league team. The cards are stacked against them with no star players, no money, and no edge in scouting new players. About six months later, the team had won more than 100 games including a twenty-game winning streak in August. (2002 Oakland Athletics Season, 2017) How did they do it? By all measures used at that time, the A’s should’ve had a down year. They should have been one of the weakest teams in baseball. Despite this, they finished first in their division and tied for the most wins in the league. (2002 Oakland Athletics Season, 2017) The secret to their success was data driven analysis of player performance, which they used to find