O’Koyea Dickson is a San Francisco native who grew up in Hunters Point. A graduate of Washington HS (SF), he burst on the scene in 2006 as a sophomore with one mighty swing. In the annual San Francisco City title game, he hit a home run out of the AT&T Park leading Washington to a victory. After graduating, he went on to College of San Mateo and transferred to Sonoma State. In 2011, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round. Dickson just finished his 2nd year of Minor League baseball. This winter, he is spending his time working at The First Base Foundation, giving back to the organization that assisted him in fulfilling his dreams.
Read about Dickson's year with the Great Lake Loons (Low-A affiliate for the Dodgers) in his own words:
“If you want to know what kind of character you have, you should play a year of Minor League Baseball. In this past year, my true character was tested more times than I had ever experienced before in my entire baseball career. One thing to keep in mind is that as you begin preparing for your season in March at Spring Training, you really have to dedicate yourself 200 percent to the game of baseball, or else you might want to find a different profession.
Life in the minors is unpredictable, and you have to be prepared for anything. I experienced this right away when I suffered a wrist injury and missed the first month of the season. When I was healed, I was ready to make up for lost time. The season started off great as I was selected to be a participant in the All-Star game. Playing in a pro league all-star game was a dream come true! I was fortunate enough to be named the All-Star Game MVP.
Baseball is also a humbling game. As the season went on, my body got tired, and I hit my first real slump. Nevertheless, I was able to keep my faith strong during the rough times on the field, and with the help of my family and coaches, I was able to turn my season around. Although the Loons didn’t reach the championship game, the year was still a success. I’m very thankful for each obstacle I’ve had to overcome. What a year it has been.
I can’t wait for Spring Training!!"
By O'Koyea Dickson.
