An independent, college preparatory, co-ed, Episcopal Day School serves a community of students in grades 6-12.
Issue link: http://palmertrinityschool.uberflip.com/i/1536142
The first part of an at-bat, similar to life, is our approach—will we try to hit a home run, or go to the opposite field? Hit a ground ball or hit a fly ball? Do we swing for the fences or play it safe? This seemingly simple decision has always been a struggle for me, and choosing an approach that matches my profile as a hitter only complicates the matter. It's easy to look around and see everyone else hitting home runs when you're hitting singles, what's harder is staying confident in yourself—in those singles. So, whether at the plate or in the classroom, the approach we take to the pitches that come our way calls our confidence into question: do we have what it takes? This is when we have to trust in the "approach" we take, to the field and to life. Our approach influences the entire at-bat experience; the push and pull of pitch selection and swing choice are nearly identical to the extraordinary need for discipline in life. How do I stay patient at the plate without falling into a trap of timidity? Which pitches should I ignore? Which should I attack? Exemplified by these questions is the first pitch curveball, a tremendously tempting pitch that offers little reward to a hitter. Almost like reaching for the phone when it's time to study, I often fall for the tempting "bait." Feeling encompassed by the vast world of social media, short-form content, and technology I become distracted from my studies, drawn off course by a tempting "bait" with little reward. I had become incapable of adjusting to breaking and off-speed pitches that life threw at me. My strong academic habits have often taken a hit by a poor swing choice, and new, destructive habits can begin to emerge. If allowed to continue, this habit of media distraction can turn my habit of studying from an instinct to an exception. Similar to a slump in baseball, I have at times felt uncertain in my intelligence and academic strength as a whole. Sometimes, my arrogance (created by prior academic success) has made it even harder to accept that a change in approach is necessary. I understand now, that it is time to take on discipline. It is time to lay off the first pitch curveball and grip the bat once more with renewed vigor. An at-bat only lasts a few minutes but those minutes feel like an hour. The warped time frame of every plate appearance means each pitch is its own unique battle, in the extended war of an at-bat. Mirroring the approach of 34 PALMERTRINITY.ORG P E R S P E C T I V E S