Barstow baseball demonstrates skill and camaraderie early in the preseason.
The Barstow baseball team has already started preparing for the rapidly approaching 2021-2022 season. While the team is young, their previous experience, commendable team relations, and new coaching all point to a successful season.
The team has changed this season, most prominently the introduction of a new coach. Coach Todd Rein, who has previous experience as a baseball coach on a club team, is one of the new main coaches and has done a lot to advocate for the team. Mr. Matt Thurman, Upper School Algebra II teacher, also coaches the team, and has been for almost a decade.
“I think he’s gonna help the team chemistry a lot and help us play well,” says sophomore Alex Hart about Coach Rein.
Sophomore Reece Conaway details Rein’s impact on the team already, explaining that, “He’s been helping our team [Coach Rein] because he’s really been pushing for more stuff for the baseball field, and more stuff for the baseball players.”
The team is also receiving some new equipment this year. One of the new pieces is a Turtle for batting practice. When foul balls are hit, the Turtle will prevent the balls from going too far outside of the diamond. Michael Yagan, sophomore and team captain, expressed his excitement for the new equipment, noting that the Turtle will save time picking up balls after practice.
Yagan ‘24 says, “Now we can focus on getting better at baseball and not getting better at grabbing baseballs.”
The team is also receiving new uniforms after over four years of using the same ones. The players are excited to receive new uniforms.
Conway ‘24 indicated that Coach Rein had been quite helpful with pursing the new equipment. “He’s been helping our team [Coach Rein] because he’s really been pushing for more stuff for the baseball field, and more stuff for the baseball players,” said Conaway ‘24.
Along with a new coach and new equipment, the baseball team has a new mindset going into this season. They feel more bonded and comfortable with each other and have more confidence in their performance this season.
“This season we have a stronger core and more chemistry,” says sophomore Pierce Farinelli.
When asked about what he most looks forward to this coming season, senior and team captain Walker Phillips responded “getting a winning record for the first time in a long time.” The excitement and potential for the boys is palpable, and all eagerly await the season.
To prepare for the upcoming season, the boys have followed a regimented schedule to workout, practice, and improve their skills. The team already works out on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in the weight room to improve overall strength, mobility, and flexibility.
Yagan ‘24, says that “Solomon (‘23) gives us a lot of help in terms of technique and what to do, and it’s a good environment for people who don’t have very much experience.” On top of that, the team does long-toss, basically a game of catch, in the baseball field, practicing different pitches, catches, and throws per Coach Thurman’s order.
Many of the boys also practice individually to work on the specifics of their positions. For example, both sophomore David Guldin and junior Solomon Holmes have worked on strength and batting over the course of the entire year. For Yagan ‘24, coaching at Impact Arm, a mobility-focused athletics center, has helped his pitching speed exceptionally.
Additionally, many of the boys also play on the same team during the off season and the summer. A majority of the players also participate in the KC Pilots, a club team out of Overland Park. The team has been together since the players were in middle school, meaning that each player has almost 4 years of experience with the same players. Farinelli says, “We already have a core for the summer and we’re just building onto that with a bunch of other really good players.” Yagan echoes this statement, “We all know each other and how each other play.”
The captains of the 2022 team are Phillips ‘22, Holmes ’23, and Yagan ‘24. The captains of the team are essential for motivating the team and helping organise their practices.
Even with leadership from seniors and juniors like Phillips and Holmes, a vast majority of the team is made up of lowerclassmen. Pierce Farinelli, William Keidel, Taylor Lacy, Connor Lucido, Justin Eichan Cheong, Michael Yagan, and David Guldin are all sophomores, while the new freshmen include Carson Matula, Isaac Shimamoto, Joel Siegel, and JT Spence.
“There are so many really talented sophomores and freshmen this year, and I think they really add to the team,” says Yagan ‘24.
To keep up team relationships, the players participate in various bonding activities. For example, the boys often have baseball parties at houses to celebrate wins or season endings. On top of that, Farinelli ‘24 adds that, “we have fun at school.”
Phillips ‘22 expands, saying that, “A lot of us worked together in the summer and just try to keep playing baseball no matter what.”
In the locker room, the boys also try to hype each other up before games. Excitement and nerves can often get the best of athletes before they even make an appearance on the field, so music definitely helps players relax and play the best game they can. According to Conaway ‘24, “Love Sosa” by Chief Keef is the boys’ baseball jam for both warmup and pre-game preparation.
The team is also exceptionally close off of the team, as proven by their heavily regimented fantasy baseball bracket that happens during the major league season. This topic, however, causes some animosity between the ranks. For instance, Farinelli’s favorite team, the Red Sox, leads to some contention, but the Royals are still resoundingly the team’s favorite.
Past all friendly rivalries, the team really has really banded together. Their brotherhood is apparent on and off the field. These relationships will only help them accomplish great things this season.
