The junior varsity baseball team has started preparing for this spring season. On October 10th, JV Baseball started conditioning for the 2024 spring season. The team looks to get in the best shape possible in time for March. JV players look forward to improving this year, which will be a tall task after advancing to districts last year.
This year, JV pitcher Cooper Topp 10th (Sophomore) talks about what the approach is for the season. “Last season was just about introduction to the school and learning about the program. This year is more so about progressing as a player and trying our hardest to get moved up to the next level”.
Topp vocalizes on his team’s plans,“We lost to Durant at districts, so we are putting our focus on being better as a team and we want to make it to states, so we will work harder together as a unit”. With this in mind, the team chooses to focus on the fundamental skills, using this time to practice and showcase their talent to coaches, so that they can elevate and go to the varsity level.The team conducts different drills to work on these fundamentals. They do agility to steal bases, mobility In the field, and have an emphasis on mental conditioning.
The team is also using this time to address any challenges or struggles they may be facing at this time. Acknowledging any conflicts right now gives us time to fix them, and even helps us define our roles within the team. “We had a lot of our seniors graduate last year, and a lot of our really good players, so we want to recover those spots that are missing and try to build this team back up and possibly be even better”.
Baseball comes with a level of mental toughness and focus, maintaining and managing pressure for the big moments. Topp elaborates on that, remarking, “…we have to be diligent in our conditioning and with that, it can help us win games. Our coaches help us stay on track and be on our A game.”
Coaches have big roles in mentoring and guiding players. Shaping and refining the skills of their athletes. Giving them motivation when struggling. Developing and testing their capabilities.
Teammates also use this time to build chemistry and teamwork with each other. Players have to build trust within the team to communicate and execute. The conditioning consists of field runs, batting practice, and rigorous training at each player’s respective positions. The team’s focal point overall is to stay motivated and be prepared for the upcoming season.