Derek Jeter

Picture of Derek Jeter with Yankee hat (Internet, Getty Images: http://www.zimbio.com/Derek+Jeter/pictures/pro?Page=2)

Baseball is America's pastime and my favorite sport for as long as I can remember. It obviously seems to be Derek Jeter's, too. The first time I saw a baseball game, I knew it was my favorite sport. Well, actually I had to watch other sports to make an unbiased comparison, and after doing so, I knew it was the sport for me. Baseball became my passion in the blink of an eye. Derek Jeter has always been my favorite baseball player, and I find it relevant for my hero to be my most appreciated performer at my passion in life. He is the captain of my favorite team: the New York Yankees. Jeter has consistently proven himself great on and off the field, and I truly respect him for what he does. Moreover, he shares the same passion that I do, professional baseball.

Being a major league baseball player may be one of the best careers for a sports fan. Day in and day out, you play your favorite sport in front of millions of people, not to mention making millions of dollars per year. But when something is this good, it can never be easy to get to. Rarely does anyone make the major leagues. The time and work necessary is enormous, and it needs to stay your dream the whole way. To train for this, you can play for little league, travel ball, high school baseball, college baseball, and minor league teams. You must keep at least a 2.0 GPA the whole way up, for you aren't allowed to compete in school sports without one. Most players make somewhere in the millions of dollars. Salaries can be as low as the mid one-hundred thousands, and as high as the 20 millions per year. One career can take about twenty years, not including injuries and demotions. Derek Jeter's career is and has been beyond successful.

When Jeter was young, he was a determined baseball player. Since he was four, he was playing some form of baseball (at that age, T-Ball). In high school, he made the varsity team his freshman year. Jeter was on his way to success. Always competitive and driven, Derek was going to make the major leagues for sure, and he did. An example of this is this quote of his: "If you're going to play at all, you're out to win. Baseball, board games, playing Jeopardy, I hate to lose." Clearly, no matter what this athlete is doing, he has the desire to win, making him even better at the sport he already succeeds in. Jeter did not go to college, for he was drafted straight out of high school. However, in high school, Derek Jeter won many awards as a player, such as the 1992 High School Baseball Player of the Year. After these dominating performances in high school, Jeter was drafted by the Yankees in 1992 and made his major league debut in 1995. Many of his accomplishments as a player and person have positively and beneficially impacted the world around him.

Derek Jeter's major contributions to society are his displays of leadership, baseball skill, and speech to the press. He constantly does and says things that set a stage for not only young baseball players but all people, making him a great guide to success. His skill in baseball is nearly prodigious, and any time the press tries to confront him or catch him off guard, he is ready to say the right things. Jeter also gives back to society through his foundation, called Turn-Two. It promotes a healthy lifestyle for children, teaching them to avoid drugs, alcohol, and other bad decisions. Jeter is an excellent role model.

Just like Derek Jeter's was (and still is), my goal in life is to become a professional baseball player. I realize the odds are against me, but that isn't nearly enough to stop me from pursuing my dream. In high school, my plan is to make the baseball team and maintain a GPA high enough to play. I will practice as much as possible, taking advantage of every opportunity I get to increase my skill. In college, I would like to go to a respected baseball school that also has an intelligent air about it, such as Stanford. During my life, my goal is the same as my hero's: to become a professional baseball player. I am one of many who believe Jeter is an amazing hero. Even Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player and possibly greatest athlete in history, agrees: "I love his work ethic. He has a great attitude. He has the qualities that separate superstars from everyday people, and a lot of it is attributable to his great family background." I strongly hope and believe that if I walk in the footsteps of Derek Jeter, the sky is the limit.