Softball is a balancing act. Physical balance -swinging the bat at the right angle and judging fly balls accurately- came easily to me. However, I failed to maintain mental balance. Picking up my first metal bat, I quickly became a pendulum, swinging between extremes: too cocksure or overly self-critical. A rookie at age 12, I was not the speediest, nor the strongest, and definitely not a home-run hitter. Yet, I somehow exceeded expectations of being average. I, reveling in my success,...

Having a sister three years younger who had skipped a grade, who was accepted into a magnet school, and who excelled in instrumental music, history, and written prose, I lacked confidence. My relatively mediocre musical ability remained neglected, and both my second-rate memory and shoddier writing skills didn’t compare. I genuinely felt worthless. Seeking a new path, I turned to athletics, surprising myself and everyone around me when I performed just slightly better than mediocre. Tentatively lifting my first...

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