"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." Ever since I was a little kid I had always loved to play baseball. I remember when I first played tee ball and it was a struggle to even lift the bat as it was almost as big as me. Baseball came very naturally to me with a background in the sport. My grandfather played in the Minor League  and Mom played softball in college. I always believed that in order to play at the next level I needed to work hard and raise my game. 
I remember I was ecstatic going into Little League. I played All-Stars over the summer from when I was 9 until 12 and we won the State Championship every year. We had a very strong team and I thought we were going to all play together for many more years. Then everyone had to make the transition from Little League to the big diamond and everything changed. Not all players were able to make the adjustment. I however, adjusted very well and was the Ace of my team and hit 3rd in the order.  
Eventually came High School Baseball where I made Varsity my Freshman year and was playing and I knew from that point on I wanted to play baseball in College. My Sophomore and Junior Seasons were a great success winning Team MVP, League MVP and 2nd Team All-State. I felt like I was the best player around then I realized that was not the case.

During the summer I played in many showcases, however there was one that is stuck in my head called the Bay State Games. I remember it was a scorching summer day with a few scattered white cotton ball clouds in the middle of July. The showcase consisted of the best kids from Massachusetts forming five teams and play each other at Bentley University in front of 100s of scouts. Some schools included Uconn, URI, Bryant, Stonehill, Assumption and Franklin Pierce. I was a little nervous but I thought I was going to be one of the best players there, however that was not the case. I threw a 82 mile per hour fastball some kids were throwing a blistering 86-87. At that moment I realized I needed to work harder and raise my game to rise above the other players. After the showcase a good amount of DIII coaches were telling me "I looked good and would be a great addition to there team" but it basically went in one ear and out the other because I knew I was better than that and it motivated me to work harder and get better. Later in the summer after a lot of hard work I have talked with several DII coaches and a few DI. I feel like this would have never happened if it were not for the Baystate Games.
I always remember that moment in the Baystate Games and how that felt I realized that I need to outwork other people and anything I do whether it be school work or sports I need to do the absolute most I can to be the best I can be. I have been working out 4 to 5 days a week from that point this Summer and I have already felt a lot stronger and have seen improvements in my game. I feel that with doing this it will not only help me in sports, but also help me later in life in the working world.