Welcome to #WOLVESTALK – a SweetwaterNOW exclusive series where Green River High School Wolves inspire our community by telling their stories in their own words.

Ever since I was a little girl, my dad always pushed my siblings and I to try new sports. My dad put me in softball, basketball, cheer, and even gymnastics. Softball just so happened to stick. My first practice, I vividly remember my dad throwing me out there to play catcher, I remember being scared because I had never played before. From playing rec ball to playing for a travel team, I saw improvement in myself behind the plate. My older sister’s all-star coach invited me to his high school varsity practice. I was only in seventh grade so you can only imagine how nervous I was. It was a great honor to be able to improve my skills not only through him but through my coaches Tito and Melissa Ochoa. 

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Growing up in Los Angeles, California there is always a wide variety of different ways coaches taught their athletes. But aside from being coached by the Ochoa’s, I was fortunate enough to be coached by Monique Ramirez as well. Those three coaches knew the game and they knew it well. So when covid rolled around, my parents decided to move my brother and I to Green River, Wyoming. Moving here made me skeptical about softball because I wasn’t sure how the coaching staff would be, especially since it was the first year of high school softball.  As soon as I walked in through those gym doors my freshman year I knew I was in good hands with Blair McEndaffer, Danielle Kendall, Alissa Davis, and Mark Hyde. Their coaching style was very similar to the coaches I was used to back home. Blair tried me almost everywhere on the field until we found a spot I loved. That spot happened to be third base. Becoming a third baseman was difficult at first but I grew to love it, almost as much as I loved being behind the dish. 

I am so grateful for my dad putting me in different sports for me to figure out on my own which sport I succeeded and enjoyed the most. Softball has taught me to be resilient and to just take whatever life throws at me. Playing this sport for 10+ years has made my bond with my dad closer. We are able to bond over watching the Dodgers play and rewatching my games. When we still lived in Los Angeles, we were able to go to Dodger Stadium to enjoy the games there. He always did his best to make sure we were attending the games that were giving out our favorite players’ bobbleheads for us to collect. My parents go above and beyond to give my brother and I everything we want and more. Without my parents Gino and Thelma Barajas, I would not be the person I am today. They’re my encouragement to get through school and to move on to my next chapter in my life. 

To finish out, my plans after high school are to attend Western to further my education in nursing. I eventually want to pursue a career as an Ultrasound technician. Choosing this career path will also allow me to have a stronger bond with my mom because she is also in the nursing field. This career will also allow me to do what I enjoy and that is to help people. Helping others is like second nature to me because it doesn’t take much to be a good person.

– Gina Barajas