For as long as I can remember, I've always been playing sports. Growing up in a competitive household as the youngest of three boys, I was always trying to keep up. Whether it was racing on bikes or playing HORSE, this early competition fueled my drive to succeed. I attribute this early competitiveness to much of my success in my high school and collegiate careers. 

In high school, it wasn’t my age that was at a disadvantage, but my smaller size and lack of physical maturity. Despite not being the fastest or strongest, I focused on competing at the high level. While others relaxed or played video games, I spent countless nights practicing, hitting, lifting, taking ground balls, whatever way I could get my work in. This eventually led to college baseball offers. Though I received two D2 and one JUCO offer, my dream was to play D1 baseball. I committed to Winona State but it never felt fulfilling. In the summer of my senior year, I played for my local legion team under Dan Lukes, who I later found out had connections with Central Michigan. Nevertheless, I played really well that summer, having a ton of fun with my teammates. Dan was an avid believer that I could be a great baseball player at the next level, and I could never thank him enough for everything he’s done for me. Thanks to him, I was offered a preferred walk-on to CMU just because the coaches at CMU took his word for it.

My freshman year at CMU was challenging. I struggled to keep up and I felt isolated, but I kept working hard. Supported by my family and coaches, I continued to develop my game over the winter and early spring. Eventually, I earned a spot on the spring travel roster, and even though I didn't play that season, the experience of traveling and seeing the country was invaluable.

Over the summer, I began sharing my experiences as a D1 baseball player on TikTok, which was well-received, earning me over 44,000 followers on TikTok and 8,000 on Instagram to date. Nevertheless, by my sophomore year, I was ready to make an impact. With a new coaching staff and a roster of fresh faces, it was anyone’s game. Despite early success in the fall and early spring, I faced struggles with confidence and consistency towards the middle of the season. It wasn't until May, reading James 1:2-4, that I realized the importance of being thankful through hard times. I never realized what a blessing it would be to have the struggles I did. I completely lost sight of the fact I was living my dream, and that I should have joy through it all. The time I have playing this game is too short for me to be resentful, and that’s how I plan on approaching the rest of my baseball career.