Q&A with Brunswick Community College freshman Shawn Cameron
BOLIVIA, N.C. — Shawn Cameron is a freshman first baseman at Brunswick Community College.
What are your personal goals within your sport?
Shawn Cameron: I just want to reach my potential as an athlete. Though I鈥檒l never know when I鈥檓 there or how high my potential may be, it鈥檚 something to work towards.
What is your biggest challenge in your sport, and how do you handle it?
Cameron: Baseball is a game of failure played by perfectionists. The hardest thing to do is forget the mistakes or failures and focus on the success.
What is the best advice you were ever given?
Cameron: Be calm. Be steady. A sailor was not made in easy seas, and a firefighter doesn鈥檛 train in the rain.
What do you love about your sport?
Cameron: I love the mental toughness behind the sport. Some days can ruin your confidence, and others make you feel like you鈥檙e on top of the world. You always forget the sorrow and remember the joy.
Do you have a pregame ritual you follow?
Cameron: I don鈥檛 have any pregame rituals, but everything I do on the field or in the batter鈥檚 box is to slow down the game and become relaxed. After every pitch I step out, adjust my gloves, and take a deep breath while focusing on a tiny speck of the barrel.
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Cameron: I enjoy working out, playing golf, and listening to music. These things help me relax away from baseball and are very enjoyable.
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Cameron: Being a member of a team taught me to believe in others just as much as I believe in myself. While on a team, it鈥檚 impossible to win on your own. It鈥檚 almost essential to get behind your teammates and encourage them during each game.
What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?
Cameron: My Coach Dennis taught me my first lesson of confidence when I was 10 years old. He told me every time I stepped in the box to tell myself, I鈥檓 a better hitter than he is a pitcher. It doesn鈥檛 seem like much now, but as a 10-year-old kid, that affected me in a game that is built on failure. You will not be successful without confidence. To this day I still think about that nearly every time I鈥檓 about to hit.
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Cameron: I make mistakes every day. Whether it鈥檚 booting a ground ball or striking out, it happens to everyone. To overcome these mistakes is to forget. I like to maintain a clear mind moving forward.
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