Abby Krzywiecki, our newest blogger, is a junior corner infielder at Mercy High in Farmington Hills, Mich. where she hit .530 with seven homers and 54 RBI on offense last spring and was equally successful in the circle, compiling a 19-2 record with a 1.82 ERA.

She was recruited by South Alabama’s Becky Clark starting her eighth grade year and says she fell in love with the school on her first unofficial visit and is now committed to the Jaguars.

Abby plays with the Finesse club program run by Donny Dreher in Michigan, one of the top organizations in the Midwest, and in in this—her second blog—she talked about how the first two years of high school have flown by and details her checklist to help her do her best at tryouts…

 

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I don’t know about anyone else but this summer felt like a three-day weekend to me.

I swear it was yesterday I just got out of school! Now I am already back, but this time it’s completely different. I am now an upper classmen. My classmates and I are juniors and are now next in line to be the head of the school.

I love that I am forced to see my friends every day at school but the learning part kind of gets boring if you know what I mean. Life also took a turn for the worst because my best friend transferred from my school after the second day back. But it’s alright… no one could handle us together anyway.

Until this year, I didn’t really realize how fast time flies. Summer flew by, and so did the last two school years. In my mind I am still a freshmen and there are still three grades ahead of us to look up too. Summer flew by because just last week were tryouts for another season with a whole new set of people and memories waiting to be created.

As I said, last week I started another year of school and looking back these last two years I have changed so much. Not even just in the physical way but also in the mental way. I have matured a lot even though my friends and I are immature together when we are so caught up into having fun.

I have made huge life decisions that have put me in great positions for my future and have had a blast along the way. I have always hated school just like the average teenager but this year I am excited because I want to beat myself in grades from before. I think this is the year it all comes down to but from my freshmen to my sophomore year, here’s what I have learned:

Freshmen
It is not as bad as everyone talks it up to be. I actually think that was my favorite year so far. That’s when you figure out friends and just meet a ton of new people. Plus during season, you can meet all the upperclassmen that grow to become best friends as well.

100 players turn out for our 16/18u tryouts so we split the groups up into two. One complete ground balls while the other half is on another field hitting.

Sophomore
You think you’re cool stuff but you’re still an underclassmen. You do lose friends but not because they get mean or whatever, instead because your friend groups get closer and you meet real friends. The season is sad this year because you will lose the former juniors who are some of your best friends; it’s your last season with them and it’s a hard goodbye.

Junior
The first week sucks when you’re best friend leaves. Otherwise, life this year should be so fun. (UPPERCLASSMEN… WOOHOO!!!)

This year I got to work tryouts instead of participate in them and it was weird to be on the flipside of the process. Usually my friends and I are the ones shaking in line hoping not to mess up on the next ground ball. (Maybe I am the only one nervous, who knows)).

I had a mental checklist to make sure I followed to not freak myself out. It would typically go like this:

1. If you make a mistake, hurry after it and don’t be down on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes.
2. Try your very best and give it all on everything.
3. Be really positive to everyone around you. Cheer loud and give compliments when your peer makes a good play or goes a good job.
4. Look like you’re having fun because smiling is contagious so if you’re having fun, others will catch on.
5. Don’t forget this is also called the sport of failure, they want to see how you react to the pressure. If you swing and miss, they can see the swing. Coaches know fundamentals.

Tryouts are a really stressful time and, trust me, they are for everyone, especially if the team you’re trying out for is a good program because there is good competition going against you.

We found out our new teams and I am so excited. We have our first practice today and team meeting and I cannot wait to officially meet all my new teammates! This year I am going to try and be more positive if something doesn’t go the way I want it to while I am playing. Life is crazy and will throw crazy things at you. In softball, anything can happen and you just have to take it and move on.

Just remember, softball is not like baseball or football. We can’t play professional ball for our job, so sooner or later we aren’t going to play. So enjoy it now and have fun while it lasts because as I said before, time flies without you even realizing it.

— Abby Krzywiecki