Broken Arrow junior Jakob Lopez has learned to embrace the toughest parts of baseball. The shortstop and late-inning closer for the Tigers says the game’s failures have shaped him as much as any big win.

“I play baseball for Broken Arrow,” Lopez said. “I play shortstop and I’m also a closer.” One of his favorite memories is last season’s run to regionals and a trip to state, where the atmosphere matched the stakes. “The energy and environment was just fun to play in,” he said.

Baseball has also sharpened his perspective. Lopez said the sport taught him that perfection is impossible, and that one mistake never defines an entire game. “Failure is OK,” he said. “You’re not always going to have your best and be your best… there are so many opportunities in baseball that one thing shouldn’t define that game.”

In the classroom, Lopez points to teacher Mrs. Bordofske as a steady influence. He said she cares deeply about her students, focuses on real-life lessons and is always pushing them toward a better future. At home, his mother sets the standard. A single parent, she is “the strongest person” he has ever met and his biggest supporter in the stands.

Lopez also credits former teammate Grady Oliver for showing him how to carry himself. As a freshman, Lopez watched Oliver lead and listened to his advice on how to be a great person as well as a great player.

Representing Broken Arrow, Lopez said, is about more than a uniform. He takes pride in playing for the community, being the best teammate he can be and helping the Tigers be known as a strong baseball school. He keeps one piece of advice in mind: failure will happen, so players must learn from it and still have fun.

Lopez looks up to Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, admiring his small-town roots and humility despite fame. “He plays for the game, not for the money,” Lopez said.