Q: What is one goal you have for yourself in baseball?

A: My baseball goal is to continue moving forward to the next level by consistently being a good player, teammate and person. After playing in college, I would love to have the opportunity to play in the MLB.

Q: What do you like to do when you're not playing baseball?

A: I really enjoy listening to musing because it relaxes me and helps calm my mind. I can always find a song or genre of music that ft my mood. I enjoy going to the gym because I like to stay in shape and want to continue to get stronger. Strenght training is vital to my baseball success. I have a job on the weekends to help support my baseball and shopping habit. I have worked with younger baseball players in my community to give back the support I have received. My brother and i have put on a youth catching clinic and I provide private lessons to kids of all ages for all aspects of baseball. 

Q: What is the dumbest thing you've heard from spectators in the stands?

A: When I am catching, I've heard a lot of comments from the stands, but the worst one has to be when the parents argue strikes with the umpire. It's not going to change their mind, so it shouldn't be done. When I'm batting and hit a foul ball, I often hear, "you're on it!" Yes, I know I am. I guess just the obvious comments get to be pretty redundant when coaches or parents say them all the time. 

Q: What is the best advice you've been given by a coach or a mentor?

A: I have had a lot of coaches and mentors over the years, but the most impactful piece of advice I have ever gotten is that hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. I take pride in the work I do both on and off the field and hope that translates.

Q: What has baseball taught you that you can apply in life outside of athletics?

A: Baseball has taught me that that I should never back down from a challenge and always challenge yourself to be better than the oppposition.  

Q: What is one goal you have for yourself in baseball?

A: My baseball goal is to work hard to be better every time I step on the field. Eventually, I'd like to play baseball in college to be one step closer to achieving my dream of playing professional baseball.

Q: What do you like to do when you're not playing baseball?

A: I like to go to the gym to work on specific movements and build muscle to help reach my strength potential specific to baseball. I enjoy playing other sports for my school team, especially football. I have a part time job that helps me save money for my baseball travels. I also enjoy working with the younger baseball players in my small community by offering catching clinics with my brother and offering pitching and hitting lessons. School isn't always considered fun, but it takes up a big chunk of my time because I carry a pretty heavy load of honors classes. 

Q: What's the dumbest thing you've heard from spectators in the stands?

A: The most consistently dumb things that I hear in the stands when I'm pitching or hitting are "Hit a homerun!" or "Just throw strikes!" I don't have a homerun approach often because I am focusing on hitting the ball hard, to the opposite field. On the mound, obviously I am trying to throw strikes. But that bit of advice isn't going to help me throw more strikes. Baseball is a lot harder than it looks to the spectators. 

Q: What is the best advice you've been given by a coach or mentor?

A: I have been given a lot of good advice over the 11 years I have bene playing baseball. But, the best advice I have ever been given is that baseball is a game of failure. You are going to fail in baseball. You won't always have the best batting average or outcome. But, if you focus on the good parts of your game and always keep your head high, work hard, and don't dwell on the things you did wrong when you get back out there for the next inning or at bat. In other words, just have fun. 

Q: What has baseball taught you that you can apply in life outside of athletics?

A: Baseball has taught me how to deal with failure. You're going to fail and you're going to have to figure out how to adjust, improve, and move forward to the next opportunity, big or small.