Baseball

The Beginning

Baseball came later than soccer for me. I picked it up in the U.S., where it’s as common as soccer is in Korea.

At first, the pace confused me. Soccer never stops. Baseball has pauses — waiting for the pitch, standing in the outfield, sitting in the dugout. But I learned that those pauses aren’t empty. They’re filled with thinking.

What I Like About Baseball

Baseball is a mental game disguised as a physical one.

Every pitch is a decision. Every at-bat is a battle between the pitcher and the hitter. Every play in the field requires you to know — before the ball is hit — exactly where you’re going to throw it.

I like that. It rewards preparation, not just reaction.

What Baseball Taught Me

Patience.
In soccer, you’re always moving. In baseball, you wait. You wait for your turn to bat. You wait for the ball to come to you. That waiting isn’t passive — it’s focused. I’ve learned to stay ready even when nothing is happening.

Handling pressure one moment at a time.
Baseball isolates pressure in a way other sports don’t. When you’re at bat, it’s just you and the pitcher. No teammates to pass to. No way to hide. You either make contact or you don’t. That individual pressure within a team sport taught me to stay calm when the spotlight is on me.

The value of small contributions.
Not every at-bat is a home run. Sometimes a sacrifice bunt moves the runner over. Sometimes a walk is better than swinging. Baseball taught me that doing the small thing right matters as much as the big plays.

Baseball vs. Other Sports

Soccer and hockey are constant motion. Baseball is bursts of action between stretches of stillness.

I’ve learned to appreciate both rhythms. The sports I play that never stop taught me endurance. Baseball taught me focus.

Now

I’m still learning baseball — the mechanics, the strategy, the unwritten rules. But I enjoy the challenge of a sport that rewards thinking as much as athleticism.

Sport: Baseball | Position: [Starting 3rd Base] | School Team: Rectory School