In 2018-19, the Mountain East Conference began its "Dear Sport" initiative where student-athletes in the conference were encouraged to write a letter to their sport. The initiative provides the opportunity for student-athletes to express in their own words the impact that sports has played in shaping them throughout their lives.
Click here to view all letters posted throughout the year.
Below is a letter from Gianfranco Morello, a baseball player from Charleston
Dear Baseball,
I find it immensely troubling to articulate everything this sport has done for me and has meant to me. The only words that come to mind to show my appreciation for you are a simple “thank you.”
Thank you for allowing me to fail. Failure is something baseball is full of. The very best the game has to offer fails 70% of the time. This failure the game has given me has taught me so much and will help me with my endeavors after I play my final game. Failure has taught me what it means to persevere. The game of life, like the game of baseball comes with great tribulations. Baseball has equipped me with the knowledge to be able to deal with these tribulations and learn from them. When you fall, you must dust yourself off, get back on your feet, and deal with that failure head on. Baseball, I am forever grateful for teaching me how to deal with failure and rise above it.
Baseball, thank you for turning my failure in successes. Every time we fail, we gain knowledge from that failure. My greatest achievements in baseball have come from my greatest failures. One year losing in a championship game and the next being able to hoist the championship trophy. Baseball has taught me to always stay on an even keel. This is a viable lesson I will bring with me into the real world. Never let your successes become so high and never let your failures become too low. Always stay living in moderation, for this baseball, thank you, I am forever grateful.
Finally, Baseball, thank you for allowing me to pursue my dreams enabling me to play the game I love, while being able to garner a degree. Thank you for giving teammates that turned into brothers that I will have for the rest of my life. Thank you for giving me memories that I will take with me until the day I die. Baseball, I don’t know what I will do without you, but I am so happy that you came into my life and I will never forget the impact you’ve had on me.
Sincerely,
Gianfranco Morello.
University of Charleston