Why will my JQuery only run if I place window load function within?

My following code will not function, unless I place it all

$  (window).load(function(){
// within here
}

How can I get my code to run without requiring the above function?
Thanks!

My code:

// Player controls
    var timer = null;
    $  ('#left').mousedown(function() {
                moveLeft(); // Do it now
                timer = setInterval(moveLeft, 5); // Then every 100 ms
          }).mouseup(function() {
                clearInterval(timer); // And stop it
          });

    function moveLeft() {
          var nextpos = parseInt($  ('#player').css('left')) - 5;
          if (nextpos > 0) {
                $  ('#player').css('left', nextpos + 'px');
          }
    }
    $  ('#right').mousedown(function() {
                moveRight(); // Do it now
                timer = setInterval(moveRight, 5); // Then every 100 ms
          }).mouseup(function() {
                clearInterval(timer); // And stop it
          });

    function moveRight() {
          var nextpos = parseInt($  ('#player').css('left')) + 5;
          if (nextpos < PLAYGROUND_WIDTH - 100) {
                $  ("#player").css("left", ""+nextpos+"px");
          }
    }

// Timer
$  (function(){
    var timercount = 30;
      countdown = setInterval(function(){
        $  ("#timer").html(timercount);
        if (timercount <= 0) {
          $  ("#timer").html("TIMES UP");
        }
        timercount--;
      }, 1000);
});

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