Bryce Harper – The Road to Success

Bryce Harper grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. Even at the early age of three, it was clear to his father that he had a proficiency for baseball. Bryce Harper began playing T-Ball when he was three years old, the initial reason being that he wanted to be with his older brother, Bryan. Even though he was only three, Bryce was able to compete in T-Ball with boys up to seven years of age. By the time Bryce Harper turned five, his parents noticed that he would fall asleep with his baseball uniform on.

Bryce turned seven a few years later, and still continued to play with boys three years his senior. Since the other boys on his team were around age ten, some speculation began by opposing teams that Bryce was lying about his age. “There have been suspicions since I was 8 years old,” Harper said in an interview with The Boston Globe. “I’ve had to carry my birth certificate around with me.” During this time, people began to take notice of Bryce Harper, and not only because he was hitting 200 foot home runs on a regular basis. Even at this young age, his determination and goal-oriented attitude earned him a lot of respect from his teammates.

At the age of nine years old, the Harper family began to get calls from traveling baseball teams, offering to cover all travel and lodging expenses if Bryce would come play for their team. Baseball teams from Colorado, to California, to Oklahoma were taking an interest in Bryce. Bryce Harper always complied, often flying with one or both of his parents to play in baseball games across the country. However, even when his parents were unable to accompany him due to work-related reasons, Bryce Harper would go alone.

Some might argue that Bryce Harper was “robbed” of his childhood, and prevented from experiencing all that being a young boy has to offer. However, when confronted with this opinion, Bryce Harper disagrees. This is an excerpt from Bryce Harper’s interview with “Sports Illustrated”.

“People say, ‘Weren’t you deprived of your childhood?’” Bryce says. “No way. I would not take anything back at all. Everything about it was great. I got to go places, meet people, play baseball against older kids and better competition. I had a great time.”

Bryce Harper’s parents have done everything in their power to make sure that Bryce has access to any opportunity that he desires. In comparison to some other child prodigies, the Harper family did not have to push him into becoming an exemplary baseball player – it was simply something he could accomplish naturally, on his own. Some people have even given him a well-deserved nickname – “The Natural”. It could be argued that Bryce had a natural interest in childhood opportunities that increased his skill in Baseball – or that he has won the genetic lottery, and was truly meant to be an exemplary baseball player.