Friday Nights In A Small Town - All For One - May 2011

By: Karter Rook

In sports, a competitive spirit sometimes creates bad feelings. Players who just want to win see their opponent as the enemy and begin to be rude to each other. Insults may fly around the field, players get physical, and sometimes it just isn't fun when that happens, especially in baseball. I have played sports for many years and before last summer I had never experienced a moment when all the players on a field came together as one, but during the State All-Star tournament of 2010 in Vernal, Utah, I did. There was one magical moment when all the boys on the field became friends and cheered for the same thing. That one thing was me and it is an experience I will never forget.

    I made the All-Star team and worked just as hard as anyone in practice. We were a team with a lot of individual talent, but we just couldn't seem to pull it all together in a game. We tried hard and played hard, but our team just didn't have what it took to beat the other teams. After a few disappointing innings, we were out of the tournament in two games on opening day.

    That same evening the tournament directors hosted a BBQ for players and their families followed by some fun individual and team skill competitions. After such bad losses all the rest of my teammates went home, but I wasn't quite ready for my All-Star experience to be over and I was hungry so, I stuck around for the BBQ. When it was time to sign up and pick team members for the skills competitions, I was the only kid there to represent my team so I signed up for the one event that I could do by myself.

    It was supposed to be a team event, but they made special arrangements for me and I was given a chance to compete in the target throwing competition. The object of the competition was to have four guys on the field, one at third base, one at shortstop, one at second and one at first base. Each player got four chances to hit a target at home plate. For each hit, a point was scored. I was allowed to throw from each spot by myself. I had sixteen chances to hit the target and score points.

    As I stepped up to third base I was nervous. Under the full lights of the stadium I felt like I was on stage in full spotlight. My nervousness soon turned to pure determination as I picked up the ball to begin my throws and I heard the team behind me begin cheering for me, "Come on Karter! You can do it!" they encouraged. A second team chimed in. Then a third, a fourth, and a fifth and pretty soon every boy on that field was cheering for ME and supporting me. It was such a great feeling. The best part was that every one of those boys who had been mortal enemies on the field as we played, in that moment, all became friends and not only cheered me on, but cheered each other on and began to appreciate each individual boy's talent. I had never seen anything like it before, but I hope to experience it many more times.

    I scored a few points in the competition and took home the Spirit Award that night too. I also got an MVP t-shirt, but I'll never forget that feeling or those boys who came together on the baseball field that night.