Personal Narrative-De-Rek Je-Ter

It’s the bottom of the ninth. From my vantage point, I can gaze over the endless sea of navy and white that wraps around the lush, green field. The New York skyline pokes up behind them, now illuminated by the countless lights that replace the disappearing sun, which has dipped out of sight. 50,000 people all have their complete attention trained on one individual. De-rek Je-ter! De-rek Je-ter! The chorus of voices swells to the point where no one can hear the public address announcer, but no one needs to. He steps up to the plate. The chatter dies down, but not completely; an uneasy murmur still permeates the air. Everyone knows that the entire season comes down to this play. There’s no possibility for playoffs, not even another game. But that’s not why half the crowd is on the verge of tears, and the other half has already …show more content…
But that pales in comparison to the overall impact he had on countless individuals. I knew right then and there that he was a person I would spend my life striving to be. Someone who, for 20 years, avoided the scandal, drama, and controversy that we all expect to come with the spotlight. Someone who did his part in uniting a city and a country 16 years ago after one of the worst days they had ever endured. So as I watched 50,000 people simultaneously lose their minds, I happened to come to a moment of realization. It was never the home runs, diving catches, wins, or even championships alone that made Jeter my role model. Many people can perform at such a high level, yet the sadness at seeing this particular shortstop go was unprecedented. What made this particular athlete special was his commitment to his community, and to his own reputation. Derek Jeter left a lasting image of professionalism and maturity that revealed a new gold standard to millions of children including myself. That image will remain long after the final fans exit the stadium, and the lights go