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Sunshine, warm weather and baseball. What can beat that? Nothing. The Olivet College baseball team is narrowing in on its first game of the spring season, which takes place on the spring training trip down in Fort Myers, Florida. I, for one, am more than ecstatic for the season to begin.
After fall ball, each individual met with Coach Ted Mahan to find out if he was going on the trip to Florida or not. I was one of the three freshmen selected to travel with the team to participate in spring training.
Being a freshman is not as bad as many think it is. It is nothing like the stereotypes you hear about hazing and all that. But yes, we are forced to do extra work, carry the equipment and get messed with, but it is all in good fun.
For example, it is my job to make sure the bats make it to practice every day. As a freshman, I know I have a long way to go. It has definitely been a change in transitioning from a high school baseball schedule to a college one. Last year I would practice after school the three days a week that we did not play a game. But during the winter, we might have an hour workout in the gym. Here at Olivet College, we practice every day.
But as the preseason comes to an end and the season begins, the team, including me, is ready to start beating up on opposing teams, rather than our own teammates. Hitting off of the same pitchers every other day is getting old to me. I am ready to see some other competition and get this season going.
Heading into the Florida trip, I have high expectations for our team. From what I have heard, the first game of the trip will be the toughest. We play Old Westbury College, which plays out of New York. I see no reason why we cannot win seven or eight games on the trip, which began March 2.
All in all, being a freshman on the Olivet College baseball team has been a great time and it continues to get better. It has been a transition, but I am getting used to it. I am looking forward to getting this season going.