By Alex Guerra
I was born in San Diego, CA. to two hard-working parents, and I grew up the middle child with a younger and older sister.
My parents tried and did their best to put me in every sport possible to keep me active, but one sport stuck to me like nothing else.
Baseball.
Reflecting, I could see my parents’ anticipation and hopes for my life as my personality and expressiveness within the game began to shine and take form.
Although I had a tremendous personality, my physical prowess was quite underwhelming so I was often overlooked on most baseball teams I was on when I was younger.
Soon after my athleticism began to show, coaches saw that I could really play.
This blossomed into high school as an everyday playing role for me.
The game was so enjoyable for me and my parents and others began to see that as well.
My dad ended up building me a pitching mound in the backyard and it seemed like every day we took our growing arsenal of baseball gear out in the backyard and practiced.
The amount of tears and frustration that took place out practicing and working with him through things is innumerable. There’s something about young kids and their dads. You just sometimes can not see eye to eye on things no matter how hard you try.
Nevertheless, the hard work with him paid off.
I joined my first travel team at the age of 13.
Being more of a small market kid, meaning I wasn’t hyped up at all or atop Perfect Game’s Player Index, it took me some time to get my feet under me.
I was very determined and soon I was just as good or even better than half the guys on the team. I had some of the best times learning alongside really good coaches that taught me more than just baseball but life lessons.
I had the best supporting family growing up and they always helped me as I went through high school with all the changes life brought.
However, my junior year of high school was when covid-19 hit and at an instant, there was no baseball. Life all around had ceased movement.
Since junior year of high school is when most college recruiting takes place I was panicked to say the least. I kept asking myself how I was going to be seen by college coaches and I was beginning to think I would never make it.
My dad told me to keep emailing and keep trying. Soon, months later there was a moment for me to shine.
I stuck to what I knew and at the end of that weekend, I had 6 collegiate offers all spread out.
I never thought I would be picking and choosing. I never thought any of this would ever happen.
I think if you are going to go anywhere in life you can’t doubt your abilities, you stick to what you know. And in baseball that’s mastering throwing, hitting, and catching the ball.
As high as a moment it was finally receiving multiple offers, the moment didn’t last long.
My senior year my dad wasn’t around.
This led to me having to take care of my sister and prepare dinner while my mom was working to be able to continue to support us.
She usually wouldn’t get home until late at night.
Tired and exhausted, she never complained. She did what she had to do to support us, and I thank God every day for her sacrifice.
Having to manage the added weight of life’s new responsibilities my senior year taught me a great deal about sacrifice. Whether it’s on the diamond, in the classroom, or at home, most of the time things are not always going to be easy.
As I head off to college in the fall this year there seems to be one narrative in my life that continuously reiterated itself.
That narrative being that any dream worth accomplishing will ask for tremendous sacrifice.
But do not shy away from that challenge.
It may not be the EASIEST thing but I promise you it will be WORTH it.
Sacrifice will bring new positive elements to your life you may have never thought of before. Most importantly, sacrifice teaches us to do simple things better.
Rebounding off of the time off from covid was extremely difficult, to say the least. On top of ever-changing home life. But at the forefront of my focus was my behavior.
I realized my current actions, whether it be choosing what to think about, say, or even do could outweigh past outcomes. I couldn’t get my dad back. I couldn’t change that I had to miss practIce frequently to take care of my sister. And I certainly couldn’t lessen the financial burden placed upon my mom.
That’s why I am here writing to you all today.
I wholeheartedly believe that if I did not decide to make the sacrifices I did to take care of my family and baseball career, I’d be writing a completely different story today. Possibly one of regret.
I think I’m living testament, as my mom is as well, to the power of how taking the right current actions could outweigh the issues of the past.
So no matter what you have faced, know that the power you have in the present is enough to overcome ANYTHING from your past.
