Going to Baseball Practice and Doing Nothing

 

    The process of going to practice and not doing anything is something you never consider when you are healthy. Especially when you are already out for the year like me. It is a completely different mindset and makes you appreciate being healthy even more.

    First off, the baseball coaches are making it easier for me by giving me the freedom of choosing when I show up to practice. I can't really do any drills at all and wouldn't be able to help out much anyways. This gives me more time in my day to do important things like physical therapy. However, it does feel weird to see notifications for when practice is and hardly even thinking about it. 

    Now, when I do go to practice, I have a completely different mindset. Normally if I'm healthy, I am focused and don't talk much to others. But when I don't have anything to do, I am completely relaxed and just go around to talk to people. It is weird to think about how I am in the same environment but it's totally different for me. I don't need to be focused or locked in. 

    The worst part of going to practices and games is watching everyone else. It just reminds me how much I want to be out there and show what I can do. I'm sure when games start it will get even worse. Of course,
I will love watching my teammates success, but a part of me will always feel sad or left out because I can't be out there. 

    The only thing I can do is try and make this a positive experience. I need to remember this feeling for when I get back and appreciate playing the game I love even more. I also hope I learn some things while observing the game from the perspective of someone not playing. Hopefully I can learn to relax and trust myself more when I play. 

    In the end, I want to make this as much of a positive experience as I can. It's weird to say that it helps knowing that there is no chance for me to play this year. This way I can relax more and won't force myself to come back too early. No one wants to be on the injured squad, but I just have to find a way to have fun and turn it into a helpful and positive experience.

Comments

  1. Isaac MorrisonFebruary 21, 2024 at 2:31 PM

    When I got injured it made me appreciate the sport that much more. I think it also helps you recognize things you would not see if you were playing. You are not super locked only focused on playing but you can see everything develop around you since you are not out there. It is tough not being able to participate but showing up supporting and getting a better understanding of what's going on is just as valuable.

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  2. Rileigh GlassburnFebruary 21, 2024 at 11:08 PM

    Drew, I totally understand what you're going through. In typical athlete fashion, I tore my ACL and meniscus the summer going into my sophomore year of high school and I thought it was going to be the end of me. But being at practice allowed me to not only connect with my teammates more but also find the love for my sport again. I also learned how to appreciate every opportunity I got no matter how small or miserable it may be. I know life seems crappy right now but keep your head up and things will turn up for the better!

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  3. Kennedy RaderFebruary 22, 2024 at 11:48 AM

    I feel this 10000000% I fractured my back in the summer and had to sit out the entirety of my cross country season and am now finally running again in track. I think that injured athletes are not talked about enough, because I had no idea what to expect or just how difficult it would be. Going to practices and seeing your teammates getting better and stronger while you can't do anything is just the worst feeling in the world. keep your head up though because when you do get back out there, youll appreciate it so much more!!

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