By: Emmerson Edwards & Gabriella Levi

It's March which means spring sports season has officially begun! At ThunderRidge there’s a freshman, sophomore, JV, and varsity baseball team. To understand what being a part of the team means to the players some of them were interviewed. 

Jack Novak (12), a captain on Varsity explains that “My favorite part of the team is the brotherhood and friends you make on the team.” Most players interviewed also talked about the brotherhood, which shows how close everyone on the team is. This brotherhood has a huge impact on their team, it makes them stronger and closer as a program. Many of these guys have made life longfriends because of this sport. As they all call it “Keeping it 400°”. Keeping it 400° is something that the baseball boys came up with and they dont tell anyone who isnt on the team what the exact meaning is.  Bo McKee (12), the other Varsity captain, talked about how, “Being on the team is another family and it’s really something special.” The captains really advocate the team factor of the sport. 

Most of the players have been on a ThunderRidge baseball team since freshman year and gave advice for current freshmen. Alex Suniga (11) shared, “Have fun and don’t worry too much about what team you make. Instead enjoy the process, but still work hard.” 

Not only is making a team just for the sport, but also for the friends. Tanner Goertz (12), said “Hard work will pay off, you need to trust the process.” So if you are a Freshman just remember that there is still plenty of time to improve! 

This successful baseball program couldn’t function without the head coach, Mr. Johnson. He has been coaching at ThunderRidge since it opened in 1996. To him, the team means, “An opportunity to work with some great guys. Try and teach them to be good athletes and make good decisions in life.” He truly cares about the guys not only as athletes but in life. He also had advice for the new players. “Listen to the coaching. Work hard in your off time because you don't always need a coach around to get better. Most importantly, stay positive and work hard.” He highly encourages new students to try out not only for the team and sport aspect, but also to experience the family like bond!