Smack is how I felt after I heard the news that I got cut from my baseball team. Normally when playing baseball, smack is the sound you want to hear as the bat makes contact with the ball, but in this case, it sounded and felt like getting slapped. It was the winter of 2021, right after the fall season with my team. At the time, I was a 12-year-old boy playing baseball just because I enjoyed it. I was in the car with my mom on the way home from school when I heard this news. I was shocked, upset, and baffled by their decision. 

Although I only played catcher for the just 2021 fall season, I tried out and made it onto the team because I had friends on the team and it was the team to play for in our town. I knew I could be better at catching, and even if I wasn’t going to my town’s local schools, I didn’t support their decision to cut me and thought I should still be playing on the team. However, I knew I couldn’t change their decision, and all I could do would be to improve and get back on a team where I could contribute.

Although upset at being cut, it was time for me to find a new team. At the time, my brother had just stopped playing with a different travel team. Since I wanted to continue playing at a more competitive level, and we had connections with his coach, I believed it was a perfect fit. However, I wasn’t good enough to be on the team, yet. I needed coaching and practice. This travel team I wanted to join had some excellent coaches who I could learn so much from. Just a few lessons with the team, practicing hitting and catching, helped me and I felt like I had already improved. They were also able to give me pointers on improving my swing and arm strength.

Then it was time for the actual tryouts. Obviously, I was nervous even though I had confidence about making the team. With the lessons I had and the practice I did on my own, I improved so much and thought I had a terrific shot. It was just two friends and me there for this separate tryout, so many eyes were on me. Fortunately, I performed great that day, and the coaches were impressed with my skills. I looked over at the coaches after I hit and I saw their facial expressions, which seemed like “Wow.” 

I made the team and our season went great. I felt like a key contributor and that my teammates and coaches valued me. However, that didn’t mean that I would stop working hard and trying to improve. I kept practicing and taking private lessons. That work throughout the season and off-season paid off. 

Fast forward to today. I am still playing with this team, and we are playing well. I still feel like one of the main contributors and not only do I feel valued, but I merit my experience. When I think back to the team from which I got cut, I wonder, what if I didn’t get cut, if I didn’t decide I needed better coaches, didn’t need to be on a better team? Since baseball is a big part of my life, I am glad I decided to keep working and getting better even though it seemed like I wasn’t good enough.