Dexture McCall, Middleton High senior
Baseball player

Baseball plays a big role in my life. As I was growing up, my father knew that I had potential and he would say, “With a little fine-tuning, he can actually be halfway decent.” Every day after school, I would go to the park and practice. The only thing I wanted to do was become a major-league baseball player.

In 2011, I broke the record for the highest batting average at Middleton High, batting a .556. That season, I also hit six homers and had 30 RBIs. I was selected for first-team Western Conference and I made second-team All County. Though I haven’t made a definite decision, (as of now) I plan on attending St. Petersburg College.

I am inspired by the people who believe in me 100 percent. I am inspired by the personal trainers and coaches that push me to the limit even when I feel like can’t go any further, and also by the school’s SRO (school resource officer), who gives me advice whenever I have a problem. I am inspired by the close family members that I have lost along the way, like my brother and my grandmother.

Coming into this world wasn’t easy for me. I was born prematurely at 32 weeks with a hole in my heart. The tissue in the back of my throat had not developed. I had seven seizures. Growing up, I had to watch my family struggle and worry.

Success drives me. Knowing that I can make a difference in my family’s lives drives me. They won’t have to worry anymore. I will take care of everything.

As told to Andrea McCray, Middleton High