I was one of those kids who tried every sport possible.

When I was younger, I wanted to do it all. I participated in volleyball, soccer, tennis, swimming and everything in between. My goal was to find something I truly enjoyed and appreciated.

I quickly discovered I was never very good at any of these sports. Finishing last in a swim race or never being able to serve the ball over the net always frustrated me.

However, last year one of my close friends recommended I join softball. I was reluctant at first, but ultimately I decided to join.

At first, I thought I made a huge mistake. The first day of practice was intense and I felt judged by the other players for only being able to throw the ball 15 feet.

During one throwing drill, I was paired with a varsity player, who could throw the ball very quickly. I had to duck out of the way a couple times.

Some things in softball were natural for me, while others proved to be a challenge, such as throwing and hitting.

This led to me getting yelled at frequently by my coach, which further added on to my frustration and dissatisfaction.

I did whatever I could to improve. In my free time, I would go outside with a friend and play catch. Every time, I was able to throw the ball further than the last time and could see myself progressing.

When it came time for our first game and our coach announced the starting lineup, I was shocked to hear my name. I never thought that I would get to this point.

During that first game, I ended up throwing quite a few people out on the bases, and left the game with a smile on my face.

All of my hard work had finally paid off, and I was glad that I decided not to quit.

Even outside of softball, I still faced challenges with schoolwork I wanted to master it right away.

Softball has taught me that being perfect the first time you try something is an unrealistic expectation. Making mistakes is OK.

Ultimately, I reached my goals and found a sport that inspired me on and off the field. Softball is something I truly enjoy and motivates me to stay committed.

Softball taught me it’s OK to try something new, even if you aren’t very good at it. It also taught me to keep reaching for a goal, even if it does have its ups and downs, and that hard work will eventually pay off.