
Photo by mvcyclones.com
Maximus Bullock prepares to play defense pre-pitch.
By Mike Pocza, JRN 111 Student
Maximus Bullock is the kind of person who will find time for others while trying to achieve his own goals. The speedy switch hitter makes it part of his daily routine to make time at Foster Park Elementary to set an example for young kids doubting their dreams.
Growing up in the same rough neighborhood, Bullock went through a tragic loss that weighed on his mental health and disrupted his focus. One of his best friends growing up lost his life to gun violence.
“We grew up together, a neighborhood friend, dropping him off at school everyday,” Bullock said. “He didn’t get to graduate with us so that was kinda sad, yeah. It was tough.”
Bullock, a sophomore at Moraine majoring in physical education, is spreading awareness to little kids in his neighborhood, trying to show them what’s possible. When he wakes up in the morning, he spends a couple hours with these kids teaching them how to play sports and giving them a positive influence.
“They’re kind of a like a rough group, so with me being there it helps them stay out the streets and stuff like that,” he said. “You know, it kinda keeps them out of trouble ’cause they grew up in rough homes. With a younger face being there, it helps them.”

Maximus Bullock mentors kids at Foster Park Elementary School.
Bullock got a lot of his motivation from his brother Christian, who played center field at University of Michigan. He was able to see Christian play under the lights at TD Ameritrade park in Omaha during the College World Series.
“Just going to his games, he made it all the way down to the College World Series,” he said proudly. “There was people everywhere, and I was like I want to be here. It kind of opened my eyes ’cause he came from the same household.”
After being able to see Christian play with over a hundred thousand people watching, Bullock realized it was possible for him to do the same.
Although he is from an area where people don’t always get the opportunity to move on to college, he saw the future he could strive for when visiting his brother.
He wants the neighborhood kids to see his goals, and just like he did when he saw Christian’s game in Omaha, know that anything is possible if you work hard.
After everything he has been through, Bullock has one main focus now, and it’s baseball.
From getting extra reps in with teammates after practice, to doing his own self-trained workouts, Bullock takes full advantage of every opportunity he gets to practice.
“I’m the type of person who doesn’t want to waste a second of my life,” he said. “You only live once, so I am trying to go as hard as I can. I like to train myself because only I can build my confidence.”
You only live once, so I am trying to go as hard as I can. I like to train myself because only I can build my confidence.”
Maximus Bullock, MV baseball player
Bullock has spent countless hours perfecting his game and building his self confidence. He will go in front of his mirror and look at his swing in slow motion to see any errors in himself. Another one of his favorite ways to train and improve his glove work is by grabbing a tennis ball to throw against his wall.
“Only I can build my confidence,” he says again. “You can build team confidence, but if you want to actually be different on the field, you gotta actually do other stuff.”
At Moraine, Bullock knows that he is “in good hands.” He is extremely grateful for the opportunity he has now and the connections he has made. He says, “I’m more of a people person now.”
Bullock is a leader in his own neighborhood, but he also has that role on the baseball diamond as well. As a shortstop, he strives to stay consistent on the field and get hits at the plate to feed energy to his teammates.
“If I’m not consistent, like everybody else isn’t,” he said. “They’re looking up to me to stay consistent. I just try to not to strike out as much and make every play.”
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