Personal Narrative: A Career As A Sports Player

In the bottom of the inning, with the chance to win, I would make the first plate appearance of the inning with hopes to start it off with a hit. Before our at-bats, Coach Sullivan talked to the team saying, “This is the moment you have all worked for. This is where all that extra work will finally pay off. This is a moment you will remember for the rest of your lives. Now GO GET ‘EM!” So I ran in the dugout, grabbed my helmet and bat, and began getting ready for my at-bat. As I was preparing Coach Sullivan came over and gathered up the next few batters, including myself, and said, “Right now! This is your time! Go do your best and good things will happen!” I was as prepared as ever when I finally stepped up to the plate to start the inning. As the pitch came towards me I swung the bat and felt a POP. I looked up to see the ball soar into the outfield and land as a base hit. The next batter was Ben Beis who, on the first pitch, watched a ball in the dirt which got past the catcher allowing me to advance to second base. Ben then did a sacrifice bunt moving me from second base to third

While I felt as if we would lose, I still wanted to try my hardest to change that outcome. I played my hardest at Shortstop and was able to get two of the three outs by a double play. Sadly that play had come at the expense of a run from their team. The last batter from their team was struck out and we headed back to get ready and bat. The crowd kept supporting us through the bad calls from the umpire and the strikeouts even to this point. The team was motivated and ready to take this game and head to finals with my morale boosted I got ready to cheer my team on

While I felt as if we would lose, I still wanted to try my hardest to change that outcome. I played my hardest at Shortstop and was able to get two of the three outs by a double play. Sadly that play had come at the expense of a run from their team. The last batter from their team was struck out and we headed back to get ready and bat. The crowd kept supporting us through the bad calls from the umpire and the strikeouts even to this point. The team was motivated and ready to take this game and head to finals with my morale boosted I got ready to cheer my team on

This was it. The Aviano Softball team of 2015 has worked so hard during the season and were on their way to the championship game. I along was part of the team for the past three years, and I’ve seen how we have grown from underdogs to the next powerhouse of Division II. During the first day, we mercy ruled AFNORTH and Ansbach. The second day arrived to determine where we would be in the semifinals, and we won against Hohenfels. The next morning was competitive; the final game was nerve wracking but it was all worth it in the end.

It was just another dry, hot, boiling summer day. The morning was chilly as it was breezy as I went through the preparations for the baseball doubleheader we had that night. Both games were against our rival Brandon Valley whom we had gone back in fourth with winning as well as losing. The first game is always a must win as that goes towards your record to acquire a place higher up in the region tournament just weeks away. The start of the game seemed normal, but we always kept it close. Finally the last inning, it was the top of the seventh since we only play seven innings in a game. Exhausted from playing the first six as hard as I could I came in to pitch in a tie game.

I really didn’t do to well hitting but the rest of my team did and that’s what meant a lot to me and watching my teammates making plays and working as hard as the possible can play in that field made me supper happy. It came down the last inning and we kind of just fell apart in the field but we still have to fight and play hard and just because we are losing doesn’t mean we stop playing. The game finally came to the end and the seniors started getting emotional and then everyone on the team started to get a little emotional it was a very hard loss for the whole team and the coaches. After knowing that we had a great season the team got together for one big last eagles on three for the

As I stood in right field, the sun in my face, ready for anything that came my way.The first pitch was a strike. The game had now begun. All of the fans were packed into Veterans Memorial Park and cheering ever so loud for their team. The first batter struck out, and although we just started I could not help but think we were one out closer to going to state. The next two batters were also thrown out. It was now time for us, the Senior Rams to bat. The nerves were still at an all time high for everyone as we changed sides. We went down one, two, three outs and took the field again. Both of the teams were full of very quality players so everyone knew it was going to be a fantastic game. The next three innings were one, two, three innings for both teams.

Everyone started to have a positive attitude and started having fun again. We made an incredible comeback in the last inning to improve us to 2-0. With us having one of the best records we played a team from the losers bracket later on that day. It was an easy victory and put our record at 3-0. After our amazing day we celabrated like we just won the World Series even though we haven’t played our final game. The following day ,which is the last day of the tournament, we only need to win one game to make it to the championship. As we prepare for our first game of the day bad news struck. One of our best pitchers has suffered a lower ankle injury and isn’t able to play for the rest of the tournament. You could see the look on all of our faces that it was just a terrible moment for our team , but like before when things get harder leaders have to step up. I pulled the team together and told them how we haven’t came this far and worked this hard for nothing. We played like we have never played before , we came out and completely took over. Being the youngest team in the tournament and making it to the championship is a huge achievement , but the tournament isn’t over

As we started from the top of our batting list, we felt confident with strongest hitters leading us off. I felt as if the situation was out of my hands as I was sixth on the list. One by one our players take the step of courage to the batters box knowing this is our time. With the pride came the weight of a thousand pounds weighing you down. First guy stuck out swinging. Second got s base hit followed by the third. And forth. Before I knew it I was getting warmed up as the guy ahead of me stepped to the bag. My heart starting racing when he hit a pop fly right to center field. And wouldn’t you guess, it was

I could feel the pitcher’s stress from 200 feet away in the dugout. We were up five at the top of the eighth, but the win was not secure. I could tell the pitcher was struggling to keep his composure. Suddenly, the coach calls me to warm up in the bullpen. I was excited and nervous to enter the game; I knew my warming up would add pressure to the pitcher and this was the Legion Sub-State Semifinal game, which determined our chance to advance to state. By the time I got to the mound, the bases were loaded with two outs. I noticed the packed stadium, felt the sweltering 90 degrees, and sensed the crowd’s tension. I had never pitched against this team, so I relied on communicating with the catcher. I threw a knee high fastball--STRIKE ONE. Next, I threw low and away curveball--STRIKE TWO. The catcher signaled a high fastball, knowing the batter was expecting another curveball. The batter chased the ball--STRIKE THREE. We won the game and moved on to finals. Two hours in the dug out, five minutes in the bullpen, and thirty seconds on the mound--not to mention fifteen hours a week, ten months a year for fifteen years--all culminated in a few seconds to advance

because if we lost one more game then we would be out of the tournament. After that we had a game brake so we all got something to eat then I asked my coach if he could help me with my hitting so we went to a field that nobody was using and worked on my form and hitting. After almost and hour it was time to play our game. I was not confident at all going up to bat I was almost positive I was going to strike out. Sure enough when I went up to bat I stuck out again, again and again. My teammates were doing really good and I was super happy for them and tried to show it but I was just so disappointed in myself.

It only took us twenty minutes to be up 2-0 against a team, our main rivals Clements, we had not beaten them for twenty years and who were also former state champions. It was the best feeling ever, seeing the confusion in their faces from being down to us. All the work we had put in that year was finally translated into the field, where it truly matters. Toe to toe with a team they said we had no chance against, I beg to differ. All was going well, until early in the second half they had scored a goal. I could sense the timorous feeling beginning to rise within my teammates, but I never doubted them and knew we still had a

As my teammate, Andrew was walking up to the plate, every single one of my teammates; including myself, were yelling out of their minds at the fact that we were trailing this late in the game. We were cheering on Andrew when he made the mistake of watching a perfect strike, and especially when he hit a single down the first base line which drove in one run. I was standing in the on-deck circle. My arms were coated with cold chills as I anxiously walked up to the plate. My teammates were ambitiously chanting while I stepped into the batter’s box to either win or lose the game. Either way, the outcome of the game was in the palm of my hand. The pitcher and I lock eyes as he threw the final pitch of the game. Fastball down the middle; the crowd’s chanting went dead silent as all anybody could hear was the ding of the bat and ball colliding. I threw my bat in the process of running faster than I ever have before. The ball flew past the shortstop as two runners score and I reached first base. My teammates ran after me and tackled me in joy of us doing the impossible. We continued to celebrate until we lined up for the handshaking at the final instance of the game. The other team had a face of disappointment as they walked with their heads down. The reactions of both teams were polar opposites as both of us walked back to each other’s

The crisp November air wrapped around me as a I walked out onto the Field Hockey turf in the Semi-finals of the State Tournament. The stakes were high, and my nerves were beginning to kick in. My team of 20 girls strided over to the bench knowing we had to give it our all, it was either win and continue on or lose and be eliminated. As we stood around stretching we reflected on our hard work for the season and praised one another for all we had accomplished. My team became my family, I wanted to win for them, play to my fullest capability for them, and most of all win for my seniors who feared it was their last game ever. We were underestimated throughout the season despite our rank of second in the state. Despite all the negativity, there

The air was beginning to cool as the sun set just behind the trees beyond the left field wall. I dug my cleats into the dirt inside the batters box until I felt grounded and secure. Looking down I touched each corner of the plate with my bat as I had done so many times before. Slowly, I lifted my head and initiated the stare down with the pitcher, focusing on the position of his throwing hand preparing myself for the same sequence I had experienced a thousand times. Over my left shoulder, I could hear my coach voice his last words of encouragement and say, “let it rip” as he stood just off the third base line. I was in my element. Everything felt so familiar, yet the result would be quite different this time and the first game of my senior season would unknowingly shape the next 8 years of my life.