“C’mon Thomas we gotta see if I made the basketball team.” As we approached the bulletin board we saw a humungous crowd of people. Many guys walking away with their heads down. Some cheerfully walking away. Some acting like they had just won the lottery and as we inched closer and closer I could tell that one of the faces that was cheerful was Stephen Cloud who had won all district last year as a power forward. He led the Hirschi Huskies to a Texas state title the first to land in Wichita Falls, Texas since my dad Eric Fremont came and went to Hirschi when we arrived at the bulletin board, I didn’t have much faith in making the team. Neither did Thomas, My best friend. Thomas Markakis made the team last year but was buried on the bench as a small forward. Now there are new kids who are stronger, faster, taller, and stronger so they are most likely going to take his spot on the bench. I really don’t know what we’re going to do if we don’t make the basketball team because; earlier in the year we both got cut from the football team. But basketball is a different story. I’ve tried out for traveling teams for seven straight years, That’s always kind of made me feel like I’m a disappointment to my Dad who wouldn’t be cut from any team, He even made the chess team, (I have no idea why). He even got signed by the University of Texas to play basketball/football out of high school and started three years; New Orleans also drafted him with the 10th overall pick in the NBA draft. As me and Thomas walked up to the board and saw our names on the paper of people who got cut my mind kind of went blank. All I wanted to do was just cry and not stop until I dry out. After that was just kind of a giant blur in my memory but I do remember my Dad telling me to try out for the baseball team. I did think I would just get cut again but lets just say Bud Selig called my name on draft day when the Kansas City Royals drafted me with the 3rd overall pick so don’t ever give up on stuff that you love. I can tell you how I got there the whole way but that would take to long so I’ll tell you what I did in that span of time if I can remember correctly we left off from where my Dad told me to get my butt off the couch ok so leading off from there if you could can you drift off into a flashback with me we are beginning now. Get up son I think I just found your calling said Dad
No I said
You are getting up and you will try out for baseball no son of mine is going to sit around playing video games and pouting
But Dad I’m not good enough to make any thing
Yes you are you’re a Fremont me and your Grandpa were pro athletes we want you to try everything so you can be proud of yourself and say you are a pro athlete
Dad does that mean I have nothing to be proud of
No son I’m not saying that at all it’s just
Its what I’m a giant disappointment to you or something
You have it completely wrong son it’s that you’ve always dreamed about being a pro athlete and I want to help you achieve that
Then Mom snuck around the corner I didn’t even know she was home I don’t know if she understood us though since she was born and raised in Italy all she could say was Be Quiet ora ho un mal di testa (Be quiet now I have a headache) she yelled as she walked into the kitchen to get some Tylenol
O.K. son will you at least try to play baseball
Sure Dad I might as well who knows it could even be my calling
Haha I sure hope it is Eric now better get to bed its about that time.
The next day I woke up with a clear head because it was the day of tryouts
And I had a really swell feeling about how it was going to go but when I got on the bus there were people who played last year joking around with not a single worry in the world not even doubting themselves when some of them should of because I played backyard baseball with them and Thomas and me and Thomas always beat them and beasted on them all the time. When I got to the field we had to run a 40 yard dash in under 6.00 seconds and I ran a 4.36 which that is really really super duper faster and it the farthest pitched the fastest and ran the hardest which eventually had me lead the team to 4 straight state titles which those led to playing with the royals.