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The Aurora baseball team has had a good season so far by being 9-9 in their season s, with an overall number of 25 players being led by 12 seniors, coached by Trent Dalton, followed by John Scott and Jake Knapp.
When I asked senior pitcher Nate Fletcher how it feels to be a senior, he shared, “ It doesn't feel like I should be graduating this year and to be completely honest, I had to start maturing quickly over the past semester because I have turned 18 and also because I will be going to college next year and will be very independent.”
Nate's baseball career isn’t over yet; he plans on continuing his passion and skills at the University of Rhode Island.
Nate talks about the recruiting process: “ The recruiting process was very fun. I have met tons of different people along the way and each individual coaching staff for different programs had made it easier for me to find the perfect school. For me, it was a no-pressure recruiting process and made it easy to find where I need to be for my next 4 years.”
Being a leader takes on a lot of responsibility and Nate tells how, “ It feels like the head of a family which helps tie everybody together in order to accomplish our team goals. It has taught me a ton of accountability which I am grateful for.”
To the underclassman, Nate wants to say, “Make sure to do what's best for you and not for others. I chose to play on a more competitive team when I was younger and it was the best decision I made. Even though I lost friends along the way, I had better and greater priorities. He shares, “ The team is close. All the seniors are very close with each other which makes it a ton of fun.”
This team is different than before because “Most of us are all seniors now. Definitely different, especially knowing that it is our last year together,” Nate shared.
The spring break helps the team overall but personally his spring break experience, “has been a blast over the past 2 years and always gets the team closer. Throwing down in Florida and then going back to go in the pool is always fun.”
When asked what it’s like to be a senior on the team, catcher Dom Trivisonno responded, “I feel that I have to hold everyone accountable and to a high standard being the oldest in the program. I feel I have to lead by example and give it my all because it is the last ride.” Dom who has been a great leader to this team shares, “It is an honor to help lead this team as a captain in my last ride of Aurora baseball.”
Dom's legacy in sports isn't over yet, “My future plans are to attend John Carroll University for Finance and play baseball.”
For many, the recruiting process is tedious and stressful; however, Dom looks on the bright side of it and shares, “The recruiting process was fun because I got to see it from the Football and Baseball aspect. I got to see the plethora of teams that are interested in me. Shoutout to all the coaches that gave me the opportunity to play at the next level.”
Dom has high hopes for his future as he claims, “ I hope to end up graduating from college and having a successful career.”
Dom elaborates on the responsibilities he takes on as a leader of the team, “ It feels like I have to not only hold myself to a high standard, but I have to make sure the team is held to a high standard at all times. I feel it is a very important role to build and mold the team.”
Dom wants the underclassman to know to “Enjoy the moments, enjoy the pressure, enjoy the high school baseball experience, and give it your all every given day because time goes really fast.”
This team is special to him considering “We have a bunch of guys who grew up playing together our entire childhood, and we have a bunch of unselfish guys who want to win. We have depth everywhere, and no weak spots on the roster,” Dom shared.
This group of boys is more than a team, “ It feels that everybody is boys with each other and we are a tight-knit group.”
The Orlando spring break trip that the baseball team attends benefits them in a variety of ways. Dom reflects, “My Spring Break experience was a blast because we played really good competition and we found out how we currently stand as a team. We found what we need to work on to be successful to make a run for the playoffs.”
Dom lastly wants to share his gratitude for the city that raised him: “Thank you Aurora for all of the memories and opportunities you have given me. I gave it my all, and I saw that if you work hard and persevere you will accomplish your goals.”
When Coach Dalton shared his feelings about the season, he said that he is very excited. He elaborates on how great the group of guys are all around. He also mentions how competitive the program is which is a good accomplishment.
Coach Dalton elaborates on the connection of the team this year. He shares that the connection is "Deeper than they have been in the past years". He talks about how strong of a team they are and how, "Overall they have guys who will compete and get the job done no matter who it is." They also have a lot of chemistry this season which Orlando plays a big part in with all the team bonding.
Coach Dalton has been coaching at Aurora for the past 3 years. He started out coaching at West Lake for 2-3 years, then he went to Tallmadge, then Aurora; overall, he has been coaching for around 10 years.
Coach Dalton has high expectations for this team. Along with that, he expects them to make deep runs in tournaments and do what they are supposed to do.
Coach Dalton expands on the progress he has seen so far. First off there is a lot of camaraderie. The boys are "starting to do the little things right" and hold each other accountable. They also show mutual respect. Overall, the coaches are very excited to see that they understand all this and they are still ready to compete every day. "Every single day they come out to compete even more."
Coach Dalton shares that he definitely thinks the spring break trip helps the team bonding. Having the players room with other teammates that they wouldn't pick helps create bonds. "This trip allows them to get to know each other as brothers, not teammates," he noted. They get to play six games in Orlando for practice before the season starts. This lets the coaches see who can do what, who we are as a team, and how to get people prepared for game day.
Written & photographed by Lana Witmer
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