Dealing with injuries is a risk students take when partaking in various sports programs at Pacific. Emmett Ward, a sophomore catcher for the Pacific University baseball team, expresses how dealing with numerous injuries has caused physical setbacks and mental problems in staying motivated.
Coming to Pacific, Ward knew that athletics was something he could pursue in college but wanted to ensure that education stayed the main priority when deciding on a college to attend.
“Being a student-athlete at Pacific has given me the ability to pick and choose my smaller priorities while still being able to compete in the sport I love and get the education I want,” said Ward.
Since he has been at Pacific, Ward has had to deal with multiple injuries, with some even still lingering from high school. Ward expressed that it is hard to perform at the level he wants to because of physical limitations. With those injuries comes the struggle of staying mentally sharp.
“Injuries have had a big mental strain on how I view myself and the interests I have,” Ward expressed. “However, having a positive look at how my career has gone thus far gives me lots of optimism for when I get healthy again.”
All in all, Ward knows that he can’t change what has happened before but knows that the only thing he can do is prevail and keep pushing for the results he works towards through dedication and hard work. He wants to make something out of his baseball career no matter what conflicts may come about on his road as a student-athlete.
“Knowing that I gave my all, even if it may not have gotten the desired result, gives me the power to keep pushing on,” Ward said. “Whether it be on how much potential I was able to build within myself or how well I end up doing in my career, I know that the work was done, and all my cards were on the table.” — Todd Takeuchi
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