Personal Narrative: College Softball

The dorky, round glasses settled crookedly on my face, and my poor fashion sense gave the impression of an athletic misfit. Being the smallest, most awkward student in school never had any advantages. I felt my life was full of challenges, and thus, I had to strive to prove my small stature did not hinder me in the slightest. I struggled throughout my younger years to find a sport that suited me but I finally decided to dedicate myself to the pursuit of playing college softball.
Yet, most people questioned, myself included, how could someone so small in stature accomplish a goal this large? I was first introduced to the game of softball at a young age, and I was absolutely inept at the game. Ball after ball would pass by me, while I just played in the outfield; however, I never bothered to rush after the ball. I instead was content to pick dandelions. Upon beginning junior high school, I
became more involved with softball and joined a summer traveling team. Still being the youngest and smallest on the team, I had few opportunities to present myself as a true competitor.
Finally, the awful junior high years passed, and I entered high school, a place full of judgmental teenagers.
I entered high school with a chip on my shoulder, bitter from being the smallest and being disregarded by my classmates. This perceived injustice drove me to work extremely hard. Night after night, I would be in the basement working on my swing, wanting to prove my worth to everyone. After months of practicing, my softball skills were starting to progress, and I was finally starting to grow. I then began to experience success on the softball field as well.
Later in my high school career, now bigger and stronger, I tried out for an elite summer softball team. My new coach was unlike any coach I had had before. He would scream in my face, and point out my flaws in front of the entire team. However, most importantly, he challenged me to grow as a person and to confront my biggest fear, which is failure. He pushed me to my limits, making me want to quit and wishing I had never played the game. Despite these challenges, I persevered and became mentally and physically
stronger.
Now, as I am finishing my high school career with success on and off the field, I realize that being a late bloomer provided me with challenges that ultimately made me a stronger individual. Today, I understand the importance of challenging myself to improve every single day. Whether I am the biggest or smallest, fastest or slowest, I know I can persevere.