My life has been shaped by a series of lessons and experiences that have all stemmed from my drive to persevere. As an avid athlete, I learned early on the importance of adaptability and teamwork—traits that have carried me through my journey in sports, education and professional life. I learned to depend on others and have others depend on me and that the success of a team is greater than any individual person.
Baseball was always my passion. It was my past, present and future. I dedicated countless hours to the sport, joining my first team at age six, through high school at Atascocita and continuing into college at Wharton County Junior College before transferring to Texas Southern University. However, my baseball career came to an abrupt halt due to injury. It was a devastating reality check, one that forced me to pivot and reconsider my path forward.
I went to school to play baseball. I wasn’t aiming to become an engineer. Frankly, it wasn’t even on my radar. My singular focus had been baseball, but when that chapter closed, I chose one of the most challenging degree programs available to me at the time. This decision, like many others in my life, was fueled by my self-guided ambition and internal desire to honor the hard work of my parents.
Baseball is one of the few sports where failing more often than succeeding is the norm. Batting .300, for instance, means you’re getting on base only one out of three times, which is less than half, yet it’s considered excellent. This mindset has been invaluable in my professional and personal life. I’ve learned to accept my failures and roll with the punches, a lesson that has stuck with me throughout my entire life.
I didn’t have the ideal body type or skills for baseball. I was never the strongest or fastest athlete, but my versatility and willingness to work hard shined over what I lacked physically. In high school, I played all over the infield, but in college, when our starting catcher was injured, I told the coach I could catch, and when given the chance, I made it happen. This adaptability has been just as crucial in my career, where challenges and opportunities often arise unexpectedly.
After graduating, I entered the construction field as an estimator. While I learned a great deal in those four years, I felt that I had plateaued and craved a new challenge. That’s when I decided to take the FE exam, earn my EIT certification and officially transition into engineering. Starting over in a new field wasn’t easy, but the skills and mindset I had developed through baseball helped me push forward I am currently an Engineer III on EHRA’s Site Development team where I work on a variety of projects including commercial and multi-family, and I have recently started working on single-family residential projects as well. Although the journey hasn’t been linear, it has been fulfilling.
Transitioning from the competitive world of sports to a professional career was not without its challenges. There’s a unique sense of loss that comes with leaving behind the structured competitiveness of athletics. To fill that void, I took up golf during the COVID-19 pandemic. Golf has become my latest obsession—a mental and physical challenge where you compete against others but primarily against yourself. It’s a humbling sport to say the least, where one day you’re at your best and the next, you’re shooting directly into the trees.
Passing my PE exam was a big triumph for me professionally. The months of intense studying while maintaining my professional responsibilities were grueling, but the accomplishment was deeply satisfying. Beyond personal milestones, I’ve taken great pride in having ownership in the success of my projects at work. Being a point of contact and ensuring the success of a project, even when challenges arise, is a responsibility I take seriously.
Looking back, I realize the importance and value of mentorship and surrounding yourself with the right people. Growing up, my coaches and peers served as mentors, providing guidance and setting examples. Today, I seek out mentors in my career—people whose professionalism and expertise I aspire to emulate. Observing how they handle clients, manage projects and approach challenges has been invaluable. It takes humility to acknowledge that others have more knowledge and experience, but it’s the mindset that leads to growth.
My journey hasn’t been without its setbacks. Graduating with an unaccredited engineering degree initially limited my job prospects, leading me to start in construction. But every challenge has been an opportunity to learn and grow. Transitioning to engineering meant humbling myself and learning from colleagues who had more experience, despite being younger than me.
Failure is a constant in both sports and life, but I have learned to approach it differently. In baseball, I’d practice all day and all night to correct a mistake, often leading to overcorrection and forgetting my basics. Now, I’ve learned to take a step back, analyze what went wrong and make thoughtful corrections. Failure is a powerful teacher, and the lessons it imparts often carry us to the next level.
For those navigating their own careers, my advice is to seek mentors, embrace challenges and never stop moving forward. Success is built on perseverance, adaptability and the willingness to learn. Surround yourself with people who inspire you, set ambitious goals and always strive to be better. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about continuing to grow and evolve, one step at a time.
