Every Athlete Deserves the Right Arena: Jack’s Story 🧢⚾️
⚾ When the Rhythm Finally Matches: Jack’s Second Season
By Brittney Ruggieri
My nephew Jack just wrapped up his second year of baseball. And while he’s learning how to throw faster and swing smarter, what’s happening off the stat sheet is even more impressive.
He’s learning how to lose with grace.
How to listen with intention.
How to show up when it’s not easy.
He’s learning who he is—and who he’s becoming.
And let me tell you: Jack has always had drive. He has always had heart. He has never, not once, lacked motivation.
But for a long time, it didn’t look that way to the outside world.
🔄 A Different Rhythm
There were times Jack seemed distracted—like his mind was orbiting on its own path, just slightly out of sync. He wasn’t tuned out—he was tuned differently.
He tried karate. He tried soccer. He did well. But those arenas didn’t speak to his language. They didn’t move at his tempo.
You know that feeling when you’re in a conversation, but you don’t know the lingo? That was Jack. He was there—but did not have feel the strongest connection.
He wasn’t lazy. He wasn’t unengaged. He wasn’t giving up.
He was just a kid who processed the world through a different lens—and that lens made effort look like stillness, and interest look like wandering.
💡 All Kids Want to Succeed
Every child wants to do well. That’s something I believe with my whole heart.
But when a child’s brain is wired differently—when they move to a beat that doesn’t match the typical cadence—it’s easy for others to misunderstand what’s happening. To assume apathy when it’s actually overwhelm. To see defiance when it’s just delayed timing.
The truth? Jack was never the problem. The problem was the setting.
And then came baseball.
🧢 The Right Arena
Something shifted on the diamond. In baseball, the pace gave him space. The rhythm of the game matched the rhythm of his mind.
He found a team that saw him.
Coaches who believed in him. Plays that made sense to his instincts.
He didn’t need to be “pushed harder” or “talked to” about focus. He needed to be met where he was—and that’s exactly what baseball gave him.
And now? He’s growing.
He’s trying. Failing. Learning. Trying again.
He's not just playing baseball.
He’s building character—one pitch at a time.
🧠 A Note for the Out-of-Step Athlete
To the kid who feels like they’re always two beats behind: you’re not broken.
You just haven’t found your field yet.
You’re not lazy.
You’re not unmotivated.
Your brain is just speaking its own language—and you deserve the chance to be heard.
Whether it’s baseball or ballet, robotics or rock climbing—every kid deserves the right outlet, the right mentors, the right arena.
Jack found his. And he’s thriving.
📬 Want to Learn More?
If you’re a parent, coach, educator—or just someone who cares about helping kids thrive in the right environments—I’d love to connect.
Whether you’re supporting a neurodivergent athlete, wondering how to better recognize effort in different forms, or just looking for tools to encourage character growth through sports…
👉 Email me at brittney@mindrondo.com
Let’s keep this conversation going. Every child deserves a chance to be seen, understood, and supported in a space where they can shine.