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Adversity Can Lead to Opportunity

During basketball season my junior year in high school, I went up for a rebound and came down on the ground landing on my elbow. It hurt. It hurt a lot. The adrenaline of the game and my competitive spirit kept me in the game despite the pain. I iced it that night and the next day, but it still hurt. I told myself that sometimes things hurt but you just gotta keep going.

Spring baseball came around, and when I took the mound to pitch, the ball had no velo, (yes, I pitched in high school), and my arm still hurt a lot. My mom took me to the doctor, and x-rays showed that the elbow was shattered. I was out of baseball for my junior season. It was just my luck that I was sitting on the bench during the exact year that baseball scouts visit to see if you have potential for college programs or professional baseball. Sitting out that season made me hungry to get out there again.

Trying to make up for that spring, I went to every camp I could, including one at Fresno State where I met Coach Batesole. He saw my potential and helped me understand how rare of an opportunity it is to play for a college program. Fresno recruited me to play for the Bulldogs on a scholarship. Getting drafted had been my dream, but the elbow had created a barrier to that dream. College would now be my next step.

I did get drafted out of Linden High School in the 31st round the next year, but after talking to my educator parents, baseball coaches, and scouts I started to see that the opportunity to play for Fresno State while getting my education was something that could change my trajectory.

2023 has brought me a lot of good fortune but also some adversity. Although my injuries were diagnosed quickly and the treatment plan came together quickly, but just like in high school, I was hungry to be on the field. The elbow injury taught me that there are a lot of paths that get you to your dream, and if there is an obstacle in your path, you may have to find a new path. Listen to those around you, get advice, and remember there is a bigger picture. It may have taken longer to get drafted, but with the move up from the 31st round, other doors opened for me.

Adversity hits us all at different points in our lives. My ALL RISE Foundation works to help youth to find pathways to overcome their adversity by supporting and continuing to develop programs that align with our comprehensive components (see below). When we are sitting behind a barrier to our success, it is difficult to see around it. But if we stay patient and focused and we speak with others, we will find a path to move farther than we thought possible.

Aaron Judge

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