Middle School and Baseball

by BM

I’ve changed numerous ways since the beginning of 6th grade. I remember when I first came to Claremont, I didn’t know what to expect of middle school. I was small and naive. I came from an elementary school that was all perfect into a middle school that was much different. When I got here in 6th grade I remember how kids would pick on me and my friends, the “little white kids,” and try to mess with us. Once they saw that it didn’t really bother us, they didn’t really do it anymore. Because I didn’t get scared when they tried to mess with me, they treated me differently and just left me alone ever since.

Once I got into the 7th grade, I was pretty much comfortable with middle school and was used to it. I got to know most of the people and got familiar with the routine. Unlike the 6th grade, I was no longer a “New Kid”.

8th grade has been the most difficult because I didn’t focus on schoolwork the way I should have, like I did in 6th and 7th grade. I kind of got distracted a lot in my classes. I did all right on my report cards this year but could have done a lot better. I plan to do much better all through high school and college. Unfortunately, middle school went by very slowly. I have been waiting to get out of here and finally go to high school since the beginning of the year.

The one area that I have improved dramatically in is baseball. I have been playing since I can remember and have become more serious and skilled each year I played. I would start out just playing during spring, then spring and fall, and eventually I started playing baseball all year round. It has become my favorite thing to do, and I play whenever I get the chance.

In 6th and 7th grade, I played just regular little league baseball and played on teams that weren’t really advanced. Once I got into 8th grade I wanted to play at a higher level so I tried out for a traveling team. A traveling team is a highly skilled team with players that the coaches pick out from all over, not just Oakland. There was one spot left on the team when I tried out. The coach of the team told me I had made the team after he saw me play. He said I was one of 70 plus people that had tried out for that spot on the team. I was happy that I had made the team. I look forward to playing all summer and hope to play for a long time to come and one day be in the majors.