User:Midstate05/James Troy Sweet

BORN
James Troy Sweet was born November 3, 1989 at Kent County Hospital to Tamatha Sweet; now Pendelton. His biological father ran cowardly away before he was born. James had a childhood most wish they had, but he says he was raised in an average family with troubles every family goes through.

BASEBALL
Growing up James looked up to his mother and grandmother, Patricia Sweet. He followed his mother's footsteps by playing baseball passionatley and worked hard to impress and make her happy with his performances. At the age of 4 James played tee-ball, but was brought up to the next level one season later because coaches were afraid he would hurt the less skilled children. At the age of 7 James played in the Bambino league in West Warwick where he started over much older kids. "I remember I played for the rockies and I was starting at third base over kids older than me. My fondest/worst memory was playing the Red Sox in the semifinal and I had every kids dream. Bases loaded, 2 outs and I was the batter who would decide the teams destiny. I ducked out of a pitch that would have hit me instead of taking the hit and winning the game, but instead of that i poped out to shallow center field". After his mother moved back to West Greenwich she decided to move him to the Exeter-West Greenwich Baseball League. Due to some controversy of his age; he was placed back down to exstructional minors. James excelled passed the expectations and was selected to play with the Major League All-Stars. But once again due to his age he was declined by the board. He would later play for both the minor and major league team the following years.

SOCCER
During his Baseball career James founded something new in his family; the game of soccer. He would end up leaving baseball in order to pursue a career in Soccer. Just like baseball James excelled at soccer at such a young age being looked at by coaches at higher levels. He started playing at Ocean State Soccer Club in North Kingston and was Captain of the U-8, U-10 teams when he played with them. Through his adolescent years he was trained by Stacey DeCastro; who played professionally and President of Bayside United Premiere Soccer Club. "I remember my first day at his camp, nervous and just clueless on what he was teaching because from where I was taught is was kick it and out run the defenders. But he showed me how to do the step overs, and basic tricks which I still use to this day. He was a mentor, friend, and motivation to make me better".

At the age of 10 James, decided to leave Ocean State and play for a less than poor South Coast United Soccer Club. He said he just wanted to get the experience of playing with the older more talented players. " I've played with older kids my whole life and always thrived on the whole hes smaller and slower what could he possibly do". He played only one year with that team; due to a later agreement to play with Bayside United Soccer. James struggled to play with Bayside due to his relationship with his coach. "He focused his coaching on the inner city kids who played soccer to stay out of trouble. Those kids were nasty better than me when it came to skill, but there were a couple who didn't belong on that team. I was at every practice every game and worked my butt off every given day on and off the team. But I never played a game with the team. I didn't have the money and my mother wasn't on the board to bribe the coaches to play me".

James gave up soccer because he didn't think he was worthy of playing the game. But one day James decided to tryout for a new team Midstate United Futbol Club. "I don't know what made me want to tryout but my stepfather (now) told me what would be the harm? I took his advice and I guess I made a huge impression. I started every game for two years and got my passion for soccer again". After playing with the team for a couple years a new coach came through the program; Kempes Corbally, a well known player at Providence College. He would start James on the bench through the first half of the season on the bench. James started to get his mentality from when he played with Bayside. "I didn't know what I did wrong, but I'm always up for a challenge and I trained harder than I ever had before and played like a Pitbull, hungry for every ball that came my way. Even if it was for five minutes".

That year we were playing Bayside United in the semifinals and James shutdown a top prospect in the league Soriano, and was later talked to by the ODP Head Coach and D1 North Kingstown High School Head Coach Steven Froberg to play for his ODP team. "I remember that day, I was pumped to play ODP again. What I didn't know is that he actually scouted me years prior to play for his Blackwatch team, but I chose to play for Bayside instead because my mamma (grandmother) said it wasn't right to commit to somebody and just leave".