“Now up to bat, Joanie McCormack!” I step up to the plate and meet the pitcher’s gaze before finding his glove, which is loaded with the baseball. I sense eyes on my ponytail and feminine frame, but I’m accustomed to it by now: I’ve been playing baseball since I was 5 years old. People have always wondered why I play. Honestly, sometimes I do, too.
Now, the pitcher winds up and my mind returns to the game. “Keep your eyes on the ball” has been my at-bat mantra since experiencing my first mental struggles in the peewee league. Undoubtedly, baseball teaches mental toughness. The pitcher releases, and my eyes follow the ball. I swing and the baseball sails.
The adrenaline propels me to first, then second. As I round the base, the reasons I’m on this field flood my mind. There is nothing better than the feel of the ball off the bat, as it’s directly representative of my hard work. Knowing softball did not equate to baseball, I fought to play this sport. I then earned at least some respect from my teammates and overcame my fear of proving my skeptics right. All that hard work culminates in the sweet crack of the bat.
Standing on second base, I hear cheers from the dugout. I smile, grateful for these guys. Baseball with them taught me to take jokes, stand up for myself and be more carefree. I also learned some things I’d rather not know, but that’s expected.
I got my lead, and now a hit triggers me to third, then home. I pick up the bat lying there and bring it into the dugout, where I’m met with fist bumps. I realize I’m beaming, and something clicks: I don’t play this sport merely for the high of the crack of the bat, nor the unique bonds, nor the mental toughness, nor the “guys in tight pants.” The reason I play is because I wouldn’t be the same without it. Baseball has given me confidence, empowerment and the ability to let go. Baseball has made me who I am.
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Joanie McCormack, 15, is a freshman at Wilton Public School, where she is involved in speech, band, choir, volleyball and baseball. She enjoys art, writing and all things music. Joanie is the daughter of Jesse and Cheryl, members of Capital Electric Cooperative.
