Sweat dripping down their foreheads, the heat is almost unbearable as they step onto the field with determination. It is off-season and they are working as hard now as they do in-season. It is almost as if the baseball team doesn’t know it is September and not April.
Every day after school, the baseball team has an optional conditioning, but to an on-looker it would not look optional. Senior Matt Montague said that most everyone on the team shows up after school. “Everyone is ready to get to work, staying three hours after school every day, showing they are dedicated,” Montague said. “Everyone seems so committed.”
These after school practices are all student lead. Junior Devek Lopez said that the seniors are basically the boss. “They are the leaders on the team, they tell us what to do and they make sure we stay in line,” Lopez said. “They just make sure we are on top.”
Sophomore Payton Geisinger said that the seniors have a lot of responsibilities on the team. “The seniors are in charge of practice,” Geisinger said. “The coaches are not allowed to coach us, and the seniors are the leaders so they might as well be the coaches out there.”
Geisinger also said that everyone looks up to the seniors. “The freshmen, sophomores, and juniors all watch after them,” Geisinger said. “They are kind of like our parents. We watch them, so they have to be responsible and do the right thing so we do the right thing.”
Montague said that his job includes helping the younger classmen and making sure they are doing things right.
Montague also said that being a senior on the team puts a little more pressure on him. “Just knowing that the younger guys are looking up to us,” Montague said. “We have to watch everything we do.”
Senior Gage Green said there is also extra pressure on him. “You just have to make sure you don’t goof off because the younger classmen are looking up to you,” Green said.
They may be considered leaders on the team, but Montague and Green said that there are students who they look at as inspiring.
“Juan Lopez,” Green said. “He is always hustling with everything he does.”
Montague had a different student in mind.
“Jordy McQuerry is always working hard to improve on everything he does and to impress the older classmen,” Montague said.
After school practice is a time for teammates to be encouraged by other teammates, and for each person to get better. Geisinger said he has seen the improvement.
“I have definitely become a better batter after staying after school,” Geisinger said.
For Geisinger the reason he stays three hours after school is just so that he can get better. “I definitely want to be on the same skill level as everyone else and just be better by the time season starts,” Geisinger said.
Extra practice time is only part of the reason freshman Parker Short stays after. “I stay in hopes that my extra effort will pay off later in the year and it is good to meet new people for the trips,” Short said.