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Dontrelle Willis: He Was Born For This
"Not only is Trelle a superb athlete, he is the personification of a good sport."
By Jordan Monroe
It seems as though Dontrelle Willis, Florida Marlins starting pitcher and 2003 Rookie of the Year, came out of nowhere last season. But to those of us who have known him for years, it was just a matter of time before “Trelle” was counted among the best.
Willis was born in Oakland, California and has been participating- and dominating- in sports since a young age. When Willis was in elementary and middle school, he could be found at the local Boys’ and Girls’ Club in Alameda, striking out batters or throwing long bombs to a receiver while playing football.
Not only is Trelle a superb athlete, he is the personification of a good sport. I remember playing on the same high school basketball team as Trelle. And if there is anything he can do better than sports, it’s make people laugh and have a good time. Willis has definitely set a new standard as to what is expected of the next generation of ball players- on and off the field.
The Bay Area has produced many athletic talents who have gone on to compete at the professional level: Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, and J.R Ryder, inventor of the “East Bay Funk” (which won the 1994 NBA Slam Dunk Contest). Some may wonder what it is about the Bay Area that produces such finely-tuned athletes. Well, to survive in an area where there’s so much talent and competition, athletes must push themselves to their limits to be the best.
So far this season, Dontrelle’s pitching record is 4-2 with an ERA of 4.06. He has a .583 batting average including one homerun, which is very good for a pitcher. After years of dominating in high school, Willis is now playing with the best in the world, and still shines. Dontrelle’s success is a blessing not only to him and his family, but to those who have watched him and supported him for so long.
It feels good to see one of us make it. Do your thing, Trelle.
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