This I Believe

Six years ago, I was a very different person than I am today. I was shy, soft-spoken, and would compleatly freak out if I was asked to speak in front of the class. Teachers liked me because I was quiet; my parents were concerned because I was. However, this all changed when I was placed on the Palo Alto Girl’s Softball “Purple Funky Monkeys” 10u softball team.

I had never played a team sport before, and it was a completely new experience for me to be on this one. I was thrust from my world of my only concern being the success of myself, into one where I now had to take into consideration the success of others. I was now partially at fault for either someone else going home a winner, or going home a loser. I wasn’t just looking out for myself anymore- I was looking out for the team.

The first game our team played, I pitched in it. I hadn’t been pitching for very long, only about a month or so. When game-time started, and I stepped onto the mound for the very first time, all I could think about was how many people were watching me. My team, the other team, and all the coaches and parents, all had their eyes locked on me. Some praying for my success, some praying for my failure. The pressure was immense- and I had no idea how to deal with it. It is safe to say that that pitching that game was not as successful as I would have liked it to be- we ended up losing 8-2, with 7 walks by me. However, the next game I pitched went a lot smoother. I knew what the pressure was going to be like. I knew what I didn’t do correctly last time, and how to fix it. And I knew that, no matter what happened, all I needed to do was give it my best effort. As I stepped onto that mound for the second time, I felt that same rush of butterflies take over my body. However, this time, instead of thinking about how easy it would be for me to fail, I took a deep breath, imagined myself succeeding, and threw the first pitch. Strike one. That game was much more successful, with us winning 6-3.

This trick I had taught myself didn’t just apply to sports, however. The next week at school, I had a big presentation to give to my 4th grade class. Instead of freaking out about it like I would have done in the past, I got up there, took a deep breath, and jumped right in. My teacher and classmates were shocked- I had gone from being quiet, shy, and insecure, to a loud, confident speaker. At the end of the day, my teacher congradulated me, and asked me what had changed that caused me to be so confident in front of the class. I told her I had just started playing softball. She nodded, and with a smile said, “Everyone should.”

Playing team sports has made me a much better, happier person. It has taught me how to handle stress, has made me much more able to trust myself, and has taught me how to trust others. Being put on the spot in stressful situations has taught me focus, and how to relax and trust myself. I believe that every child should get a chance and an experience like mine. Whether it’s a sports team, a club, or a study group, I feel participating in a group, team activity is essential for everyone.