Park’s baseball team kicks off their season with captain’s practices in the morning before school two to three times a week. They begin by throwing short distances building up to longer distances. Then, they rotate between hitting and fielding. At these practices, no coaches are present so the drills and practices are fully run by the captains.
The captains leading these practices are Ryan Moran, Cole Denham and Malik Martin. Head coach Brian Kelly said the team has good leaders who will be great role models for the other players.
“We have great captains that will set a great tone for everyone to work hard and support each other,” Kelly said.
According to junior Logan O’Dea, the captains are very respected by the team because of their communication and leadership on and off the diamond.
“I like my captains because they all have good communication. They all know how to put a team together and they help with practices and emails,” O’Dea said.
According to junior Ted McCarren, being able to use gym space to prepare for their season is extremely helpful.
“Obviously, it’s hard to get good training during the winter with weather conditions, but being able to throw and hit in the open gyms helps a ton with preparation for the spring,” McCarren said.
According to O’Dea, players feel that early pre-season practices help enhance their skills and build up their confidence for the upcoming season.
“Having practice earlier in the season helps me develop more, gain more confidence, develop better habits with my teammates and learn new systems that will be put into use during the season,” O’Dea said.
Kelly said he’s more confident that the team will hit the ground running when the season begins.
“If athletes have not been training, then this is a great way to knock the rust off,” Kelly said.
McCarren said he is working outside of the captain’s practices to prepare for the season further.
“I lift in the mornings at the school and do specific training throughout the week at a facility called MacStrength,” McCarren said.
Kelly said there’s a strong focus on developing all levels to make a cohesive program.
“The goals for this upcoming season are to improve at all levels from freshman to varsity. We want more continuity throughout the program,” Kelly said.
Every year over spring break, the baseball team travels to Arizona in an attempt to prepare for the season. According to McCarren, the Arizona trip provides an opportunity to play and practice outside during March, making it a favorite for all the players.
“One of the biggest things I’m looking forward to this season is the team trip to Arizona during spring break,” McCarren said. “It’s our first opportunity to start playing outside and I’m excited to get out there.”
According to O’Dea, the Arizona trip offers an opportunity for players to refamiliarize themselves with their teammates.
“Specifically for this Arizona trip, I’m excited to play with all my teammates that I’ve been playing with (for) forever,” O’Dea said.
Park’s boys baseball team officially starts with their first practice on March 11 and their first game on April 15 at 4:30 p.m. at Benilde-St. Margaret’s.
