Writing Portfolio Sydney Ortiz - NSPA 2024

Grant McTaggart tees up courageous fight

Grant McTaggart watched as his father stood a few feet away and called Hall of Famer Craig Biggio.

Grant had just taken his two daily chemotherapy pills, each wrapped in a Fruit Roll-Up by his mom Melanie. That special touch and the phone call to Grant’s favorite baseball player were the only ways the 3-year-old would swallow the pills.

Escaping shadow of sisters a challenge to embrace

I held the brakes on my bike and screamed for my dad and sisters to stop their bikes too. I was struggling to catch my thoughts as the tears flooded my face. All I could think about was how in the world would I live up to my oldest sister. `

Baseball is more than sport for Walters

Harrison Walters knelt at the third-base line during a pitching change. He tied a 9-year-old’s shoes while talking strategy with another.

Walters, who began coaching the 9-year-old Giants in the East Montgomery County rec league this spring, leads practices, helps with the pitchers and teaches the catchers.

“The players really look up to (Walters),” head coach Dustin Lindsey said. “They see him as an older brother.”