From the chalked-up dirt to the fresh cut grass, a softball field is always a place I love to be. This is my 8th year playing and I still enjoy it just as much as the first day I started. Even though I play other sports, softball has still remained my favorite.


When I was younger there were no designated positions. We all just ran out on the field and ran out on the field and stopped wherever coach told us to. But the older I got and longer I played, I found that I loved catching. Being behind the plate was the ultimate place to be. For me, it was an adrenaline rush and the faster the pitchers get, the more often that feeling comes over me.


Although I was considered too “small” to be a catcher, I never let that stop me. Constantly coaches on the other teams underestimated me just because of my size. I loved when they did that because it felt good to prove them wrong. I have a magazine article on my bedroom wall that says, “It’s not how big you are. It’s how big you play.” This has held true to me through every game I have ever played. I will remember this quote for the rest of my life.


Softball means the world to me. Some may see it as just a sport, but to me it’s much more than that. Every time I step on the field I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. Perhaps my favorite thing about softball is that it’s an escape. Whatever is bothering me just doesn’t seem to matter anymore. My worries melt away as soon as I pick up a ball and glove. The field doesn’t judge you and no matter how many times you mess up, it still welcomes you back with open arms.


Life can be cruel but in the end softball has always been there for me. A field doesn’t care who you are or what you have done. It just wants you to play the game you love. And that is exactly what I plan to do for the rest of my life.