I apologize in advance for posting this thread in the "General Items" forum. I know that it is custom to generally announce commitments on the "College Commitments" page, but given the content of my post I would like to request forgiveness in an effort to reach as many people as possible. I also apologize for the length, but for the same reason mentioned above, it is unavoidable.
You may recognize me as the player from the following thread: http://hsbaseballweb.com/eve/f...481/m/9897036006/p/2
Quite a lot has changed since then, and I have learned a lot not only about baseball, but also about life. Rewinding back a bit, if you aren't already bored to tears, I'd like to tell you a bit about the triumphs and tribulations that I’ve encountered while playing this great game that we all love.
I began playing in 6th grade as a somewhat precocious and pudgy 11 year old. The only reason that I began playing is because I had just moved into a new school district and had no friends to speak of, really. My parents thought that it would be a good idea for me to get involved in a team sport because they really didn’t know how else I would learn to function in an intertwined society with an introverted personality. Alas, the next thing I knew I had a bat in my hands and cleats on my feet, anxiety abound as I wondered how I would fare in a sport that neither my parents nor I knew anything about.
Needless to say, I was awful. During my first season, if I wasn’t striking out then I was tripping over myself in the outfield. Error after error, loss after loss, our team’s record and my ego seemed to sink lower and lower each day. However, somewhere between the 0 for 4 games and the ground balls that seemed to roll just past me every time, I began to appreciate the nuances of the game. The rhythm of a pitcher as he came set had a certain musical enigma to it that I thoroughly appreciated. The wafting scent of peanuts and the sound of cheering crowds just tied it all together for me. By the end of the season, I was in love.
Unfortunately, the game didn’t love me back. Just when I worked up the courage to try out for a travel team, I was cut from the first five that I went out for. This would lead to a very tumultuous 5 year span where my skill set seemed to creep up incrementally, but not nearly at the pace that I needed to keep up with my peers. To give some perspective, my high school currently has 5 D1 committed players, 1 D2, a Team USA MVP, and 2 JUCO-bound studs. Not the easiest circumstances to stand out in, especially as a novice.
Nonetheless, I kept working hard, always pushing myself in the weight room and on the field. I caught a break in 9th grade, finally making the high school team, but in the subsequent years I was cut and left on the outside once again. I learned during these years exactly how malicious teenagers can be; I got made fun of on a regular basis for my failures in the game. Instead of lashing back, I chose to turn the indignation within me into motivation, working harder and harder until I finally shaped up to be a solid ballplayer. My most recent accomplishments include leading my summer team this year in batting average and getting my velocity up to the mid 80’s.
Thanks to the advice of several very knowledgeable and helpful members of this board, I decided to attend the Headfirst Honor Roll showcase in Long Island this August. My board scores are pretty solid (3.6 GPA, 2200 SAT) so I really targeted high-academic schools. Long story short (ironic, right?), I did fairly well and garnered some interest after the camp. Real coaches? Talking to me? Picture a little kid in a candy store. That’s exactly what I felt like after taking visits and meeting coaches. I was finally a real ballplayer.
To give this story a good ending, I’m happy to say that I’ve committed to and recently received my admissions notification from Oberlin College in Ohio. The overwhelming sense of pride that I have knowing that I’ve achieved my goal and will get the chance to study at one of the premier institutions in the country is amazing. The journey isn’t over, however, and I look forward to the new challenges I will face with my teammates as a college baseball player.
My purpose in writing this post isn’t to brag or practice for my autobiography. I just know that there are hundreds of kids around the country that face the same kind of obstacles and adversity that I did in pursuit of their goals, whether it’s baseball or something entirely different. I’ve gotten cut from 14 teams in my lifetime. I once had a coach yell at me that I wasn’t good enough to play college baseball. I’ve been the target of ridicule and malice for the better part of my high school years. I just want you all to know that it is possible, you can achieve your dreams, but it has to come passionately from deep inside of you.
My message isn’t that things are going to be easy. In fact, what you go through to reach your goals, especially in baseball, are going to be some of the most physically and mentally draining things that you’ve ever done. You have to fight for every step. There are many things that “normal” teenagers do that you will have to sacrifice in the pursuit of greatness. But if there is a will there is a way, and I implore you never let anyone get between you and your dreams. The feeling of accomplishing something that you’ve coveted for so long is unexplainable. I regret that many people won’t experience it because they are discouraged and quit too early. Please use me as an example of one that made it; I promise that you can do it too.
Work hard, never give up, and always chase your goals. You never know what may happen.
Thanks for reading,
Machmud Makhmudov
Original Post
