Practice went really well today. The pitchers, ofcourse, had to do their daily conditioning. We had to run for 20 minutes around the track in the field house, which is getting easier and easier every time we do it. Each pitcher has a job every practice according to their personal schedule. Certain pitchers will throw on certain days and recovery time is key because you get stronger over that period via conditioning. The program every year hosts close to 20 clinics for baseball players that range from middle school to high school players. Our coach gave out assigned jobs to each player as he arranged groups. Each group would aid the players throughout the drills that the coaching staff set up. Arriving in the locker room at 8:30 in the morning was very tough because of events that occur during the weekend, if you get what im saying. The clinic lasted from 9-4 consisting of two sessions. The morning session seemed longer because there are more kids that attend that time slot. Working the clinic, however, was not that bad because i enjoy coaching and helping out kids get better because that is ultimately what i want to do when i get older. Coaching sports and being a high school teacher is simple and interesting; can't complain about summers off. I would be perfectly ok with my wife being the bread winner lol. Anyways, when the first session ended, coach treated us to pizza in the locker room, which was mediocre at best. Beggars can't be choosers though. The syllabus for the second session was given to us and the older kids had to stay longer because they knew how to run the camp better then the underclassman. They knew the drills better then the freshman and souphmores ,so, instructing the players would be more personal and benefitial. The day was long, but, it was spent around baseball, where i cannot complain. After all, what else is there to do on a Sunday in Cortland, Ny when sleeping is not your number one priority.

Social life

The first month of practice is pretty much over with and things are looking optimistic with the team. The new transfer players are exceeding expectations and everyone from the freshman class to the senior class is doing their part to help our team function. The life of not going out and cutting back on socializing was a little different and confusing at first but as it happens more and more now each week it is becoming a daily routine. It is expected from the team, especially if a player is not 21, to follow team rules and cooperate with the coaches and captains. The team rule simply states to not consume alcohol within twenty four hours of a game day. If a player is 21 years old, they are allowed to go downtown but if a player is not they are not allowed to go at all, no matter the hour rule or not. For example, every single Saturday and Sunday the team takes part in a game-day like atmosphere by competing against one another in practice. The pitchers set up the two batting cages that our team has in Lusk field house by pulling the nets out and dragging the portable mounds in. All the coaches have speed guns in back of home plate and pitchers that are not throwing are keeping pitch counts. The position players stand in and face the pitchers who throw as if it were game seven of the World Series. Saturday an d Sunday are such important days because it is a great way for coaches to examine their players progress and work ethic. One week a pitcher can throw really well in the cage and not perform the next week at that previous level they were at. Batters can get three hits out of three at bats the week before and then get zero hits out of three at bats. It is important for all of us to work hard every day and perform.

Every Day Changes

The team has kicked off its third week of practice and things are looking pretty optimistic. Coach Brown brought in 5 new transfer students from other colleges or Junior Colleges around the state of New York or relatively close. Players on the team were wondering if it would be the best move as far as messing with team chemistry, but it has actually benefited. The pitching staff acquired four new pitchers, two of which are upper classman. It helps our team a great deal because the two older pitchers have been throwing at the collegiate level for a few years now. Every player had trust in our coaches recruiting abilities because he has been around the game of baseball for many years now. It also helps that four of our coaches have played professional baseball straight out of Cortland State. The only position player that our coach brought in was our new shortstop. He transfered from a school in West Virginia and is very skilled at the position. The only negative part about bringing in five new players is that some of the old players have to undergo tight observation from the coaching staff and deal with the choice of being on the team with not much playing time or quitting the team. All in all, my opinion on the decision that those players face is a positive one. If the coach feels that your talent is only getting you so far and it is going to limit your playing time then that would motivate me to work that much harder. It is discouraging to know that the coach feels that way about you but to certain people it just adds fuel to the fire. I wouldnt just quit the team, I would find a way to improve my skills as much as I could to try and get playing time. Because a player is not getting as much playing time as a fellow teammate does not mean that they are not part of the team. Practicing with the team, lifting with the team, even eating with the team every day is what makes a team. Being part of that is truly something special and just being part of the ride, the season, is fun enough. Winning a National Championship is a consolation prize.

WTF Coach?

The season has began and practice has hit the players hard. Practices are difficult because our coach and all the players have their eyes fixated on one goal and one goal only, a national championship. Every practice is a competition, which has it's perks in a way because it brings out the best in every player when competing. The other day I told my coach I had a night class which would interfere with our practice at night. My coach was fine with it because he told me it was my day off, so just go to the gym and do a running workout for 30 minutes. I did as instructed. When my night class ended I scooted over to my practice to catch the last half hour and my coach must of forgot that he told me to workout prior to class. He told me to run for twelve minutes straight around the track in Lutz. He never had a watch or even kept time and I ended up running for 25 minutes until the pitching coach stopped me hysterically laughing about me running for so long. Thanks Coach Brown.

Why Cortland State?

I always get questions as to why I chose to attend SUNY Cortland for school/baseball. After all, it is a pretty obvious question, why would a person from Massachusetts come all the way up hear for school? For anyone that played high school sports and was an aspiring college athlete they have all experienced the long and frustrating recruiting process that weighs a heavy burden on your life. The process is not so much frustrating because it is annoying, its frustrating because of all the options that are laid out in front of you and whether or not the right decision is being made. People from New York take part every summer in the Empire State Games. Well, in Massachusetts athletes compete in the Bay State Games. The summer going into my senior year in high school I played for the Coastal region of the state and the week-long tournament lead me to Cortland. I had received a recruiting letter from St.Johns University and was invited to a showcase at their school in Queens. In October, of my senior year, I attended the school's invitational and participated in a days worth of drills and scrimmage. The day went very well, so well that I was asked to speak to their pitching coach, Scott Brown, in private. I was ecstatic and thrilled to finally get to speak to one of these superior coaches. As I was speaking to Coach Brown he quickly complimented me but had to break the news that I wasn't throwing nearly fast enough for a Big East program in Division 1. The coach picked my brain a little bit about my career in baseball so far and what I would like to major in when I go off to college. At the time, it was physical education so he quickly recommended Cortland State, his Alma mader, because it is the top physical education school in the country and are exceptional at baseball. Coach Brown contacted the head coach at Cortland, Joe Brown, and referenced my name and to look into recruiting me. As you can tell, Coach Joe Brown pursued me and as soon as I left Cortland after my recruiting visit the decision was obvious that I would commit to his baseball program.