When did you start playing baseball and what inspired you to?
I started playing when I was really young, and I was inspired to play by my dad. I remember him taking me to the Cubs spring training in Arizona when I was younger, on spring break, and he actually made me really fall in love with the game.
What has gone well this season?
This season has gone well, as we have a really connected group, and it’s a lot of returners. We’re having a lot of fun, and everyone just seems to be in the right mindset.
What is your favorite memory so far?
My favorite memory of the season so far is playing hacky sack with the team before or after practice and before the games.
What does it mean to be a captain?
To be a captain means to be a leader in the community, on the field and in the community. It shows a lot about who you are as a person. It shows that you know how to get your friends and your teammates hyped up, and you can also lock them in and in the community. It’s just that all the younger kids look up to you as a captain. You’ll see a little league here in the community, and they’ll be like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s the captain of the baseball team,’ and they dream of being you one day.
How do you lead by example outside of practice?
Outside of practice, I lead by example, by always just representing Park well. You never know who’s going to be watching you or who’s going to see you in public. So, you always just have to be a good human being.
What goes on in your mind before a game?
Before a game, I try to stay very calm. Baseball is an intense sport. There’s a lot of failure, and it’s easy to get distracted by that failure, but if you just stay calm, stay loose and play your game, you’ll have a lot of success.
How do you stay composed during high-pressure scenarios?
Box breathing helps a ton. Box breathing is four seconds in, four seconds hold and then four seconds out. It helps (in) lowering your heart rate, makes you think, makes you centered in the moment and brings you down from all the pressure that’s coming from around you.
What challenges have shaped you to get to where you are today?
Challenges that have shaped me to where I am today (include) grinding in the off-season, and balancing two sports. It’s tough to play two sports at a high level, and you always have to be prepared for the game and the season. So, just balancing that training schedule in the offseason while also playing hockey games is a big challenge.
What’s next?
I’m a junior right now, so hopefully finishing off the season strong, going into my senior year with a college commitment to play baseball.
