Work is an important part of an athlete becoming better at their sport. Whether it is extra practice time, working in the weight room, or studying the game plan, all the work is important. Jace Rutledge says that knowing that you can always put in a little more work is what has helped him become the athlete that he is today.

“The thing I feel that has brought me success is knowing you can never stop bettering yourself,” he said. “Going into practice every day ready to learn something new and knowing that the work doesn’t stop at the end of practice. It never stops until the last play of the last game.”

Rutledge is a senior at Dickson High School. He plays shortstop and pitcher for the Tigers’ baseball team. He comes from a family that loves athletics and he says that he has come to realize that it is about more than just the sport itself. 

“I got a late start in baseball,” he said. “Coming from an athletic family, I had the impression that it was all about winning and getting to college ball. But in the past four years, I’ve realized the life lessons and friendships that are made along the way are the real wins. It might sound silly, but it’s the truth.”

Jace says that he has had some really good people that have had an impact on his life and helped shape him into the person that he is. But out of them, he says that there are two people that have impacted him the most.

“My brother and my dad are, without a doubt, the biggest role models in my life,” he said. “They have always pushed me to be the best person on and off the field and taught me to never stop working.”

He has had some memorable moments throughout his career, but Rutledge says that there is one moment that really made a difference for him.

“The highlight for me would be in September of my freshman year,” he said. “I pitched my first bullpen and found a love for the game. It was a big thing for me.”