A rush up on the mound! The white rubber; strike one, strike two, strike three, you’re out-my first strike out! I love baseball. It began when I was just five years old. That’s when I started playing baseball; well actually it was t-ball. That’s when I got the love for the game. The first time I hit the ball, caught the ball, and threw the ball is when I first loved the game.

The first team I was on was coached by my best friend’s father. Korey and I have been friends since we were born. We lived right next to each other. We had fun that year and we learned a lot about baseball.

Two years later Korey and I weren’t on the same team anymore. I was on my other best friend Kyle’s team. His dad was the coach. Kyle and I were the best players on the team. The team was so good we almost never lost.

The next year my love for the game got even stronger. That was the year that I became a pitcher! Pitching has always been my favorite position because I have always loved how it gives me a rush and I get all pumped up. I step up to the mound, onto the white rubber, and I wind up and throw a pitch. Being awesome at it makes me love it even more.

I didn’t always feel that way. The first time I pitched in a game I wasn’t very confident. There were two outs and two strikes. In my head I started to say, “I can do this”. Then I threw a bullet for a third strike. That pitch brought me a lot of confidence. It also taught me that if I really want something I have to go after it and grab it before it slips away. If I hadn’t kept trying I wouldn’t be as good as I am today. Learning that lesson has helped me with many things since then.

When we were nine years old, Kyle and I ended up on different teams. My team played against his team for the championship. We won in the sixth inning. That was the first time my team won the championship. Since then I’ve been on a different team every year. Those next two years also brought league championships. Now I am twelve years old and I still love baseball.