Being a natural at sports and consequently playing it for an extended period of time is a common instance for many athletes. Humans have a natural urge to do what they’re good at, but what about the things they struggle with?

Senior Octavio Mora has been playing baseball since the 6th grade when he was encouraged by his brother. Despite his brother being well suited to the sport, Mora struggled with basic components of the game.

“I couldn’t throw, I couldn’t catch. I couldn’t really do anything at first,” said Mora.

His coach would let him play and he wouldn’t know what to do, forced to learn as he went along. Despite his early lack of direction, he eventually picked up on the sport by learning from his mistakes in-game. Hard work and dedication led him to becoming a starting player by 8th grade.

“I owe a lot of it to my family,” said Mora. “Without them, I wouldn’t have had the motivation to keep trying.”

Mora’s parents attends every one of his games. They are his biggest supporters, encouraging him in more than just sports.

Because of his family, Mora has huge respect for dedication and encouragement. While he tries to motivate himself, he also tries to motivate those around him.

“I can’t always think of myself, I have to think of others and encourage them, especially my teammates. That’s where the team chemistry comes in and we rely on each other.” He, like many athletes, is quite close with his team and tries to spread the support his parents have shown him to them as well, as if they are his own family.

“It isn’t just about me. Playing a sport isn’t just about you, it’s about the team as a whole.”

Mora hopes to continue playing into college and beyond, maybe even making a career out of it. However, in the long run, it doesn’t matter under what circumstances he plays.

“I’ll be happy just as long as I’m playing baseball.”