There is a quote that says “Softball is life. It’s more than a sport, more like a passion. Red dirt and bruises are in fashion. The wind up, the pitch and scrambling defenses. This is what it’s all about. Intense parents in the stands and anxious coaches waving their hands. The swing of the bat, the ball, the bases and the glove. This is softball. The game I love. It is my life.” This describes my passion that I share with my favorite softball coach. Today I’m going to talk about how Mr. Mace has influenced my life by being the coach of my favorite sport, softball, and how his coaching affects my softball skills, and my academics.

  I started playing softball the position that I competed for was catching. I was a lefty. Mr. Mace first became my coach when I was in seventh grade. I tried out for the catcher’s spot and as soon he realized that I was a lefty, he stopped when calling out the position for me. I thought that maybe that was my last chance catching. But he surprised me by putting me in that position and sometimes stayed after practice to work with my catching. I learned to always be aware where my body is at all times and that being a catcher, you must become a leader out on the field. I also learned that we used the gear for a reason. I began using the gear to stop the ball instead of relying on my glove.
Mr. Mace also influence my school grades by constantly telling my team that if you want to play softball, school must come first. He has motivated me to work harder both on and off the field. It’s like another ramp up session with him because he is always saying, “positive attitude gets you far in life.” He has also taught me that if I don’t understand the plays to always ask questions, same as my school life. I now make sure I ask questions in order to understand the homework. I’m not afraid to speak up.
Mr. Mace has motivated me to someday go to a four-year college with a softball team. Since softball has always been my favorite outdoor sport, I’m hoping to continue along that line. He’s taught me the basics in softball when I was younger and now he’s taught me more. He has always pushed me harder than the rest of my team and I am thankful for that. When I think that my homework is too hard or that play is too complicated, I always think about that college. Even though I don’t know which college I want to go to.
In conclusion Mr. Mace has played many roles in my life and continues to as I go about my present life. He has been kind and harsh to me by pushing me harder than most and expecting more from me. He understands my weaknesses and my strengths and often tests them. My skills are much better than they were and will continue to improve when the next softball season comes around. Not only have my skills improved but my school life has too and I hope that it continues to be like that.