I have never been on a sports team before. However, just because I never tried out junior varsity or varsity team does not mean I do not play a sport. Actually, I do play one which is softball. You will see how soft this story sounds.

My sisters and I loved to play baseball in Wii Sports. There is no softball in that game in case if you are wondering about it. I remember all the home runs that my sisters did. I wonder if we can do one in real life. Actually, in real life, it is not that easy. I played this sport again in an after-school program called Goodworx during fifth grade. We played it because it was recreation time. When I first played it, I stunk. I could not hit the ball and it was very hard to do so. I only hit it once on a sunny day and that was it. The same thing occurred in gym class during sixth grade and if I remember clearly, I abandoned the sport for a while. When I entered high school, I heard that they had tryouts for the softball team. I just thought that it was a very bad idea. I just left and went on my own way.

However, gym class in tenth grade was a very great opportunity, an easy one I suppose since it did not require any tryouts and all that stuff that come after it. Hehehehe. It felt really good to relive my passion for this sport, but there was one thing that did not change which was the challenge of hitting the ball. I got strikeouts and people have to help me cheat. The cheating helps, but I was getting tired of the fact that I cannot hit the ball. I did not want to be soft about this problem anymore.

One day, I made effort to go find someone to give me advice on that part in softball. Grrr, grr, grr. Who to find? I really cannot take that problem and I want to smack the bat on the wall. Then, I thought of a clever idea, a very clever idea. My crush is the catcher of the baseball team, so I can ask him about it since he is easy to find. On that day, I found him next to a set of lockers after my first class. Luckily, he was there and no one was there, so this was the opportunity that I must catch. All he just told me was, "Just look at how you have to hit the ball." I was hoping for something bigger or longer, but that would do.

When the time came for gym class, I followed the advice and prayed to God that it was going to work. If not, then it is going to be a total let down. I looked at the ball and suddenly, my instincts were telling me to hit it right at that moment. And then... it worked! I finally hit the ball and I went running! I was glad and grateful to my crush. I thanked him the next day and things got better in softball ever since.

There was a time during sophomore year when I went to the middle school to do an errand in the activities fair. I went to visit the baseball and softball section. My crush and a few softball players were advising me to try out the softball team. I still refused because I just think it will override my academics. Still, they make me put my name on it and I am like gosh.

Two years passed and I still played softball in gym class. I never tried out the team, but I still appreciate the timing in gym class. Even though 45 minutes seem too little, it was still good for managing time in doing academics. I even had a peer leader from the baseball team that taught me more about softball and that was really good! So, I played on until it was the last day of gym class.

During the senior awards night, I earned a plaque that said "excellence in physical education." I was so shocked and happy because even though I did not try out a sports team in high school, I was still a true athlete for participating actively in class especially in softball. Now I know that everything was worth it in gym class. Thanks to my gym teachers, my crush, and my peer leader for getting me this far. From that night forward, that plaque served as a memory for my efforts in class, especially in softball.

As of now, I really miss playing that sport. At home, I do not have anyone that can play with me. My friend got busy in the summer, so he could not teach me how to play anymore. As of now, I am at college and I really have no time to play. My college has softball as an intramural sport, but who knows what I will do throughout my life? Will I have that time again when I embrace the softness and warmth of my athletic passion? I really do not know, but I know for sure that there is nothing soft other than softball.