Kaylee Rucker English 101 Pre-writing/Post-writing Essay December 9, 2016
The Game of Life People are involved in sports for a multitude of reasons. To stay in shape, to have fun, to create relationships, to feel alive. I play softball for all of those reasons. Softball was my first love and it has shaped me into who I am. This sport has taught me how to dedicate myself to a bigger purpose, work harder than I ever imagined, and learn from my mistakes.
Softball has taught me to sacrifice for the good of others and not just myself. This started when I was nine years old. My older cousin was starting a competitive softball team to teach a new generation of kids the game he loves so dearly. I fell in love with the game that first year that I played on his team. Our team, including the players, coaches, and parents, became one big family and was the most supportive group of people I’ve ever been around. The team was based in a town that was an hour and a half away from me, and we played in tournaments in the city every weekend. That made for a lot of traveling, but I didn’t mind because I was with my favorite group of people. They never stopped pushing me to reach my full potential, and I never would have became the ball player that I did without them. We were all completely dedicated to each other as a team. The game taught me that while I play an important role, there’s much more to life than just worrying about myself. The girls taught me how to dedicate myself to the betterment of the team around me.
Softball has also shown me how to push myself farther than I thought I could go. The game has shown me how to discipline myself and work at it harder than I ever thought I could. I don’t think my drive to succeed would be as strong if I hadn’t learned that quality through softball. I believe part of that new-found drive goes back to working for the team instead of myself. By working as hard as I can for other people, I’ve bettered myself in the process. I’ve learned to prioritize and put what’s important to me at the top of my list, and the most important aspect is the team.
One thing that softball has done for me that many people learn in many different ways is that it’s alright to mess up. Making mistakes is okay. Letting myself down occasionally is okay. Then I have to learn from my mistakes and move on. Then I have to make the necessary changes so that my mistakes won’t happen again. Sometimes the change is slight and sometimes I have to work for the change. I have to move forward and focus on bettering myself without being too hard on myself. There’s a balance there that the game has definitely helped me find. Not just in softball but in all aspects of life.
Some people say that sports are just games. Those people are right, but what they don’t understand is the lessons learned from these games and all the effort that players put into these games. The game becomes a part of each player. The game becomes what helps the players through obstacles in life. The game teaches players their most important life lessons. Softball has taught me much of what I know about life. Without this sport I wouldn’t be the same person, not even close. I believe softball has taught me dedication, hard-work, and how to grow as a person and as a player.