Everyone can recall a moment in their life where it almost seemed as if time itself had slowed down; my moment came on a crisp, late summer night in June. On this night in June it was not an ordinary baseball game. The Cascade Cougars entered this game with a record of 2-6. Playing against a team that should easily be winnable, the Cougars found themselves in a tie game in the bottom of the seventh. I knew someone would need to clutch up to win the game.

Stepping into the on-deck circle with a runner on second, I knew it was my chance to shine like a diamond. In my head I kept thinking to myself, This is your moment Eli, you got this. Once I repeated that in my head a few times, my confidence soared through the atmosphere. I realized it was me who was going to make the big play. In my previous at bats I had two hits off this pitcher. One of them was a base clearing double that gets us back in an ideal spot to win. Stepping up to the plate I could feel the nervousness from our opponents, especially the pitcher.

I crossed the thin white chalk of the batter’s box. The crowd suddenly became as quiet as a mouse, and the adrenaline was running through me faster than a cheetah. In this moment it felt as if I was watching this moment happen from a movie theater with the biggest screen imaginable. Focusing my attention on the pitcher I waited for my pitch. On the delivery of the pitch, it came in slow as if time itself stopped for me to crush this ball. I knew this ball was the one to swing at, low and inside just how I like it. With the swing and crack of the bat I realized that I just won the game for my team. Rounding first I saw the ball float over the left center field. Walk off homerun!

 I ran the bases screaming and flexing my hit. As I rounded third, I saw my coach happy as he has ever been. He gave me a high five, and I focused my attention to home. As I stomped on home plate it felt identical to being at a concert with one hundred people jumping around me. Water was flying everywhere, and I lost track of how many times I had been slapped. After the moment settled down, I realized the most important aspect of sports is confidence. Confidence is key, and with it individuals can achieve what they put their mind too. In the next big moment with a great deal of pressure, do not fold. Instead, people should take on the pressure using confidence and shine in big moments like a diamond.