Why Is Baseball Important To Me

“When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” said Eric K. Disney. Memories and events in one's life has major impacts on how their future is shaped. I have many events in my life that helped me choose my goals, for after college, of becoming a teacher. Hunting, fishing, and sports are all immense parts of my everyday life, mainly on the way I was raised and the decisions I've made along the way. Many parents tell their kids at a young age that they do not have to follow what their siblings, cousins, leaders, or anybody else has done. Parents will tell you to follow your heart and make the right decisions. My parents relayed this message to me in my childhood years. Growing up I watched my brothers and cousins playing
Or going to sticky hot summer afternoons and nights, watching baseball games. I have been playing baseball for as long as I can remember. Always playing games, then sticking around to watch the “big boys” play and admire their pure talent and optimism of the game. I was fortunate enough that my father was the coach for Tee Ball and 8u baseball. I was able to start playing at the age of five with the older kids. I knew from the moment 8u baseball started that I loved the game, even if I got distracted and played with the sand while in the field. I stuck with the game of baseball, whenever me and my friends got the chance we were either playing a game of whiffle ball, playing catch, or practicing our hitting. Once I was a Sophomore in high school, our varsity coach pulled me aside and asked if I was willing to play Legion Baseball. I jumped at the opportunity. That summer whenever someone was on vacation or not able to make it, I got to ride along and play Legion. Playing as a Sophomore really helped me to learn that I need to stay calm and stay positive. Last year as a Junior, the first game of the season, I did not start but I knew my time was coming. As the first couple innings passed,
This bonding time brought me closer to my dad and also I gained many new skills and learning experiences. I always wanted to be able to hunt and knew someday I would. When I turned 11, my dad said that he finally believed that I could go hunting and that we could go youth hunting the next week. That week was the longest week of my life. Finally when Saturday came, I was like a kid on Christmas morning. I sprung out of bed and got dressed. Me and my dad got into the woods 15 minutes before sunrise. When we got there I fell asleep. Ten minutes later I woke up to my dad saying “Alec, buck, buck.” I sat up and raised my rifle. My rifle was shaking so bad my dad had to hold the barrel to stabilize it. I got the deer in my sight and squeezed the trigger. The deer flopped over. This was the first time I saw anyone shoot a deer, let alone shoot one myself. I realized that hunting was going to be a big part of my life. The next year I decided to go out again, this time in search for something bigger. My dad still by my side, we went out all year and on the last day I was able to connect with a mature doe. Now since I am older, I choose where, when, and how I am going to hunt the deer. I run all the trail cams, checking them every couple weeks. Planning when I will go into that stand and what time of day. Hunting has really made a huge impact on what my career will be and where I want to end up location wise, because