Derek S. Jeter

Picture of Derek Jeter (Internet)

My hero is Derek Jeter. He is a great baseball player but more importantly, he is a wonderful and thoughtful person. Derek has accomplished many things in his life and he has started many camps and clubs to help kids with academics and life situations and peer pressure. Derek Jeter is my hero because he is a good role model and a great person.

Derek Jeter (Internet)

Derek Jeter was born on June 26, 1974, in Pequannock, N.J. At the age of four, Derek moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Derek went to a catholic school throughout grades 1-8. Derek attended Kalamazoo Central High School. He was a star basketball and baseball player. He earned an All-State honorable mention. Jeter batted .557 as a sophomore and in his Junior year Jeter batted an amazing .508 (30-59), with 7 home runs, 23 runs batted in, 21 walks and only one strikeout. That same year Jeter won many awards such as the Kalamazoo Area Scholar Athlete Award, and was named 1992 High School Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association. U.S.A. Today named him the High School Player of the year.

In 1992, Jeter was drafted 6th overall and he was the first high school player picked that year. The New York Yankees drafted Jeter and he signed a contract for $800,000 dollars. Jeter was soon promoted to Class A where he spent two years and won many awards such as Most Outstanding Major League Prospect in the South Atlantic League in 1993 and Best Defensive Shortstop. On May 29, 1995 Jeter made his Major League Debut against the Seattle Mariners. Jeter was named the 1996 Rookie of the Year. That same year Jeter also started his foundation called Turn Two. This foundation was created to help kids stay in school and to teach them to avoid drugs and alcohol. In 2000 Jeter was named New York Yankees’ Player of the Year. Jeter was the first person ever to hit a home run in November in the 2001 World Series.

Derek Jeter (Internet)

Derek makes many donations to charities and he has started his own foundation. Because Derek is a baseball player, it is easier for him to help kids and have them look up to him. Derek donates millions of dollars a year to his foundation and is trying to teach kids about how drugs and alcohol are dangerous.

Derek Jeter (Internet)

Derek is a kind, loving person who is very unselfish and donates a lot of his money to help kids around the world. He is a very nice guy who is hardworking and never gives up. He always strives to be better and never accepts failure. Derek is very shy, very polite and he never brags or says he’s better than someone else. He has a great attitude and work ethic. Many people say he is very handsome and well behaved and a great person.

I think Derek Jeter is a great person and admire that he has a foundation that helps kids. Another thing I really like about him is he knows that he is a good ball player but he doesn’t brag but keeps trying to get better. Derek is my hero because he is a great baseball player, he achieved his goals, and he tells kids to keep trying and never give up.