By Ember McElrath

Junior at Chickasha High School Bryan Lopez is ready to take a full swing at this year’s baseball season and beyond.

“My goals for baseball are to play as long as I can play the game and keep getting better everyday,” said Bryan. Bryan started baseball when he was 8 years old after some family members got him interested. Before that he was never much of a fan. Once he started playing, though, he really enjoyed it.

“My favorite part about baseball is the relationships that you build with the guys,” said Bryan. “Having those relationships make baseball fun.” Not only does the game of baseball mean a lot to Bryan, but the guys he gets to play with do as well.

“My team means everything to me,” Bryan said. “They push me to the best that I can be and I know that I can trust them.”

Taking the game seriously is always important, but being able to look back at memories and laugh at yourself is also important. “My favorite baseball memory was when I hit an inside the park homerun at Putnam City and when I was about to touch home plate I tripped and face planted at home,” said Bryan.

Baseball teaches you a lot of skills and being able to take those skills and apply them to your everyday life is important.

“Baseball has taught me that there are ups and downs,” Bryan said. “You have to push through those ups and downs and just keep working.” When Bryan goes through those tough times and gets nervous he often reflects back to what CHS head coach Kevin James told him, “smell the roses, blow out the candles”.

Once he has done that he also does some positive self talk and reminds himself that he has prepared himself and he can then gain his confidence back.

When Bryan is not on the field hitting home runs you can find him cleaning his truck as well as spending time with his friends.

Credit Emma Silvus