Broken Arrow senior infielder and pitcher Jaden Sharp has learned that baseball is at its best when the game feels simple and fun. As he heads into his final season with the Tigers, he carries that mindset onto the field for a program chasing another deep postseason run.

Sharp, a varsity third baseman and right-handed pitcher for Broken Arrow High School, said the sport has shaped his perspective far beyond the diamond. “My sport has taught me a lot about myself to just go out there and have fun and just enjoy life because if you start to make everything so stressful it’ll make you overthink too much and make the game not fun anymore,” Sharp said.

One of his favorite reminders of why he plays came last spring, when the Tigers captured a regional championship. “I would say my favorite memory is winning regionals last year and having a great time with my teammates,” Sharp said.

Sharp said his biggest inspiration is close to home. “Someone that inspires me is my dad; he always seems to give great life advice and is always pushing me to get better every day, and just reminds me to go have fun and stay relaxed,” Sharp said.

In the dugout, Sharp points to teammate Jackson Campbell as a tone-setter for the team’s energy. “The teammate that had left the biggest impression on me would be Jackson Campbell, the way that he makes everyone in the dugout just always have a good time is great and I think it carries a lot of weight how this team is this year,” Sharp said.

Sharp said representing Broken Arrow is one of the best parts of wearing a Tigers uniform. “My favorite part about representing my school as an athlete is representing the city of Broken Arrow, and the people that go to this school as we try to bring a state championship back to Broken Arrow,” he said.

He keeps his approach simple with advice he returns to often. “I would say the best advice I have gotten is stop worrying about what everyone else thinks about you and just go out there and have fun and not care about anything anyone thinks about you, and just have fun,” Sharp said.

Sharp also thanked “Coach Dob” for the opportunity to be featured and cited MLB star Trea Turner as a favorite player to watch for his athleticism and smooth slides. He named Mr. Barlow, a teacher from his junior year, as a favorite for helping him balance jokes and focus in the classroom.