My Knee Caps

In total I had joined 6 baseball teams in my whole life (17 years). I don’t want this problem to ever happen again so I’m not planning on joining anymore teams for now, but I may join one during college. I still like baseball even after all these years. Baseball has always been a part of my life. It’s been something I’ve played, it's been something my grandfather has enjoyed, my aunt, and pretty much my whole family. But at the end of the day I think that it was one of the best decisions that I had ever made just because I have more time to do stuff and time to spend with my family members and friends from

I go through these times when I take things too seriously and I just need reminded that the main goal of the game is to have fun. If you’re losing but still having fun, it doesn’t matter that you lost. What matters is that you were having fun. One game that reminded me why I play the game, was our game against Dee Mack. It was 12u softball on the Eureka Sting team. That day was just a good day for the whole team. I got a girl out trying steal second. That is one of the best feelings in the world. That night nobody stole a base on me. It was one of the best games that I have ever caught, and it’s one that always sticks out to me, even though it was a few years ago. Not only was my defense good in that game, but that was one of my best hitting games also. That night I hit a triple, double, and two singles. The adrenaline rush you get when you hit the ball, and you know you hit the ball is just unbelievable. It’s one of my favorite parts of the entire game. Hearing all the people in the stands cheering, hearing your team cheering, is almost indescribable, it’s just amazing. That game I was just having fun, but I was also focused. A more recent game that reminded me of why I played was this summer, on my Oly Fire team. It was one of the first games of the season. I was playing shortstop. At that time I had only played shortstop around two other times, but my coach had started practicing me there. I didn’t feel 100% confident in

Sports has always been a huge part of my life. I would be the one team player who took the sports season a little bit too seriously. I was the number 1 doubles player on my school's JV tennis team. Unfortunately, I fractured my ankle during my junior year and wasn't able to play with my team. I was devastated, but I didn’t allow myself to become disconnected from my team. I became the team manager to allow myself to still play a role in my team, despite my injury. I would record scores to my division leaders and take pictures to post on the website I created for my team. After the season was over, my doctor told me my ankles required surgery to become fully healed. I knew that meant I couldn’t continue to play tennis, but I didn’t want to give

I’ve taken part in baseball since I was 3 years old, it is by far my favorite sport. It truly holds something very special to me, because I look forward to it each year. When the season ends I enjoy it for about 2 weeks off, but then realize I’m not going to have another team practice til next year. My 9th grade year of sports took a turn of events when I tore my meniscus during football season. I had surgery March 8th of 2017. I couldn’t play that season and I was pretty depressed seeing all my buddies play. I remember hobbling over to meet Coach Boom and introducing myself saying I could help out doing stats for him. I tried to keep myself involved but it was hard not playing and just sitting on bench watching my family

Blood, sweat and tears. All for one sport you love. Going to the fields, putting my cleats on and batting.(Cumulative) From the time I stepped on the diamond, I knew softball was going to be something I was good at. Usually most people start off playing t-ball and work their way up to the big leagues. Not me. I started my third grade year. Of course I was hesitant (nervous), but I got over that fast enough. I played every position possible. I was a strong hitter (usually making it on base every time). But that’s 10 u. Over the years, I became exceptionally good at softball. I had many compliments on how good I was. Parents were telling my parents how good I was. But that was only the beginning.

The long series of events started when I was seven years old and my parents signed me up for Bobby Sox softball. I soon grew to love the sport and came back to the organization every year until I turned ten. I stopped playing for the league and tried out for a local travel ball team and made it. I soon had a career out of playing travel ball, it was my whole life. I had been on many teams and created many memories. As I got older, I didn’t enjoy playing softball as much as I did before. I was scared to tell this my dad this because he had high hopes that I would play in college. When I told my dad that I wanted to quit softball, I learned that I need to do what makes me happy even if it disappoints people.

To recover from this defeat, I continued playing on my previous softball team. My passion for the game drifted away that season as I

As I was still getting the hang of this new sport I had realized that I have an advantage that the other girls didn’t have, it was my personal coach. My mom. Not only is she my softball coach, but she’s also my life coach. Over the years I have grown such an attachment to this game, that I can’t imagine my life without it. So that is why I don’t take softball for granted, because when I broke my left ankle I couldn’t even practice, or when I tore a ligament in my right ankle, I was definitely sad and I didn't know what to do, I felt empty, plus seeing people playing your favorite game in front of you and knowing you can't play really takes a toll on you emotionally. I still remember when I had to sit out of several softball games, and a championship. I felt like I was letting my teams down, I just felt so useless. That’s where I can mostly identify myself with my mother, through softball and the injuries that she has had during playing the

As I sat there and let the doctor examine my knee and diagnosis me with a “left knee sprain”. I started to cry. I already knew the outcome that I had a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). I tried to continue to play on it until one time I was playing in a tournament, and I went up to block a girls shot and landed on my

My softball career has led me to meet and become friends with some of the most amazing people who help me on my toughest times. When I started playing I met this little girl who was a foot shorter than me, her name was Jordan. She was quiet and acted like she didn't want to be there, but somehow we became friends.She will be the first person I call when I get engaged or when my cat dies. She will forever and always be my best friend. She's not the only long-term friend I've met. There's Dakota Berry who shows me that your never to small to do a big job. There's Madison Newton who shows me that God will forever be with me and lead me on the right path. Wether it be play college softball or break my dad's heart and tell him I'm done with softball. Then there's Samantha Kummer, the Disney freak, she taught me how to have a love hate relationship. She's the person that I see everyday of my life and just want to strangle but I love her the same time. She is a beautiful giant Sasquatch that shows me that hard work will pay off in the end. Softball has brought me an abundance of friends that I will forever

But then I thought to myself “I do not quit” and I researched some information on softball like the slang upon the players and what is used in the game. Once I had the information I thought would help me I communicated with the teammates and they told me they had optional practices before school started for players who wanted to learn and improve. I went to the summer practices, every single one of them and dedicated myself to finish what I had started.

From the moment I stepped foot in the ballpark I was enchanted. The electric atmosphere gave me a rush, the fans walked around with a type of unsaid companionship simply due to the fact that they were all there for the same reason: to watch the sport they loved. At that moment I was reborn. I fell in love with baseball the same way racing stole my heart. I started little league shortly after and it was a disaster. I had 3 hits the entire season, my teammates would even cringe when they saw my name in the lineup. I had a year until high school and nobody thought I stood a chance of making the team, but I saw the doubters as motivation. I was not going to let my new love slip away from me just like my first. I was determined to succeed at all costs. I worked all throughout the offseason. Finally, tryouts rolled around and to everyone’s surprise I made the Junior Varsity team my freshman year. I spent most games on the bench but I remained determined. That summer I worked even harder than the last and became a starter on JV my sophomore year. I was hooked on baseball and couldn’t be shook. That summer I worked harder than I ever have in my life with a few other teammates. Through baseball and my undying determination I have built some of my closest and meaningful friendships, I lost 50 pounds, and made varsity as a starter my junior year where I had the game winning hit in the final inning to send our team

When I finally moved to Holmdel, New Jersey, where I spent the rest of my childhood, I continued to play baseball. I continued to play baseball throughout my childhood into high school, as I soon started to think about whether or not to play ball in college. After receiving a few offers to play in college during my senior season, I still was not convinced that playing in college would be the best decision for me. It turned out that this tough decision became an easy one after April 8th, 2014, the last day I ever threw a baseball on the mound. Facing our cross-town rivals, I was called on to start the game on very short rest. I began pitching a phenomenal game, allowing zero runs in three innings. Then the fourth inning came around and the second pitch of the inning ended up being not only my last of the game, but the last of my career. That game I ended up straining and almost tearing my UCL in my elbow. I was devastated when I soon started to realize I was not

From the time I was able to walk I wanted to be a professional baseball player. I always fantasized it being game seven of the world series, with my team down three runs, the bases loaded with two outs, and I was up to bat. Of course every single time I fantasized about this, which was a lot I might add, I knocked a 400 foot home run in the left field bleachers to win the world series. I played in numerous amounts of wiffle ball games with my brother, sister, and my dad in backyard even when I was only two years old and would run the bases backwards. By the way, my family is super competitive, so there were some intense games in my backyard. Baseball has been my love since day one. The word “ball” was even my first word. I have played in probably a billion baseball games in my life and I have not regretted one second of it. I have had an amazing career playing and I am truly blessed for the ability I have been given, but I know I will never actually be able to

I played 16 years of softball and the love I have for the game is indescribable. This sport has taught me so much about my life and has brought me challenges to learn from. Without this sport, I would not be the person I am today. Many people laugh at that and do not realize the mental toughness it takes to play this sport, especially being a pitcher. Throughout my life, this game is