“Where are we going to go when we get back?” I said. 

    My teammates exclaimed, “We are going to go to the beach! We will meet by the pool at 3!”

    “Sweet. See you by the pool,” I responded, smiling. 

    After playing in a hard-fought baseball game in South Carolina, my teammates and I discussed what we were going to do as we cleaned up the dugout.

    As I walked up to the pool, I noticed there was not a soul in sight. I checked my phone for what felt like hours. 

    Then one of the parents shouted, “Zach! Why aren’t you at the beach? That’s where the rest of the boys are!”  

    At that moment, it hit me. I was purposely misled. I immediately escaped to my hotel room and began to cry. 

    I wondered, “What did I do wrong?”

    For the remainder of the tournament, I was excluded from all activities. I felt isolated and alone, but my family was there for me. My parents comforted me with their warm words, and my brother put a smile on my face when he shared a few corny jokes: “What has four wheels and flies? A garbage truck.” Despite my family’s best efforts, I stayed up all night crying. I wanted to fit in with my teammates and be a part of the group. Unfortunately, the distance between my teammates and I continued to grow, as I spent my free time studying and reading books while they were playing video games and going to the movies. Although I repeatedly tried to reconnect, my teammates continued to shun me. Luckily, my freshman year of high school started. While at my new school, I formed friendships with great people and quickly, my pain turned into happiness. I hung out with some friends at math team, others at their houses, and others while playing board games. I couldn’t have been happier with my new group of friends.

     As I continued to play more and more baseball, I began to realize the inequalities that exist within the baseball world. It made me think about the bullying I faced as a kid. I knew the pain I felt was terrible, so I couldn’t even imagine what the disabled had to contend with. I knew I had to do something.

    In the summer of 2017, I founded the non-profit organization OPbaseball4all in order to make the game of baseball more inclusive to all. Although there are thousands of baseball fields around the world, there are few that serve the needs of those who are in wheelchairs, on crutches, or mentally disabled. These athletes are excluded from America’s Pastime and deserve to play the game that so many Americans love. My mission is to provide these athletes with a field that they can call their own. 

    Reflecting on my journey, I have realized how much has changed since South Carolina. Even though being excluded by my teammates was one of the worst moments of my life, I’m glad it happened. The tough experience has helped me become a more accepting and including leader in my daily life and has truly helped me understand what it feels like to be excluded and demoralized. If you are feeling excluded and bullied, bright times await. You will make new friends and find people who accept you the way that you are in the near future. You may feel alone in facing your struggles. This could not be further from the truth. People care about you and you must turn the negativity of your life into positivity. In your shoes, a few years ago, I did not have hope. I thought that I would never meet anyone and always be sad, but I met a few great people who now always have my back. Turning the negativity of any situation into positivity for others is my life goal.  My efforts have led to more students being included at my school and in activities no matter their physical appearance or mental ability, and to many more baseball players having the opportunity to play the sport that they love.