With Presidents day nearing, I've been thinking about what I have done the past presidents day's, and most every single one of them have ended up in St. George playing baseball. Thinking back on that, got me looking back at my entire baseball career, and how baseball has affected who I am today.
I started playing baseball (well… T ball) around 3 or 4, and pretty much played every single day until I was a Sr in High School. I was always very blessed with such great teammates, coaches and especially parents, who have supported me my whole life with what every crazy idea that would pop into my head! When I was about 8, was when my baseball career started to take flight. From 8 years old, to 18, I played with the same kids! well, Minus a few here and there! I remember everybody on my teams and and pretty good friends with all of them, to this day. Starting from when we were 8 , we always had great skill and competitiveness for the game. That, along with having INCREDIBLE coaches that spent countless hours upon hours with us so that we could be the best that we could be. Again, around 8, our Taylorsville little league team that won state our first year together, decided to make a "Super League" traveling team called the TUFF COUNTRY PREDATORS! To say the least… we were really really good. I can recall the few games we lost, and who we played, what field we were playing on, what position I was playing….. With this Predator team, I was able to travel around the US for various tournaments, and some of those were: St George( countless times), Vegas for Legion Regionals, Cooperstown NY when we were 12, Omaha during the college world series, steamboat springs, phoenix, california… to name some! The Predators were together until our last tournament when we were 14 in Omaha. The majority of that Predators team continued to play together at Taylorsville high school, but a few moved and switched schools.
I can ramble on for literally days about my baseball days…. but Im writing this to not talk about my past, but how it has shaped who I am now…. As many of yall know, baseball is "Game of Failure" you are highly praised if you succeed in hitting the ball 3 out of 10 times… You are always practicing so hard for when it is your chance, you might not get the ball hit to you every time, but when it is coming your way, you better be ready for it! Baseball has made me learn to have a quick memory, to not focus on the past failures, but to always practice and play harder for the successful times. I have learned to stay committed to a cause, even when thats the last thing on this earth that you would want to to, still keep your focus on the bigger goal and not the present time when everything seems to be at its worst. It has taught me to work with a team, and how an individual may be very important, but no one is successful unless you work together. Baseball has taught me to think ahead at the possible outcomes that lay ahead and to determine wether to take those risks or not. It has helped me take more chances and if the outcome isn't what I wanted, to not pout about it, but to work harder towards my goals.
Baseball has changed my life, and it just took not being able to play, to realize how much I love it! There are so many life skills and values that this game teaches you. Like the Incredible John Wayne said “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” Don't be afraid to fail, because the only way you can truly fail, is when you give up! I miss playing everyday, but I love to watch my little brother, cousins and old teammates play!
