Selma High’s Baseball team has recently won their game against Golden Valley with a score of 14-3. The Bears’ overall score for the Tri-County- Sequoia League is 6-9. To them, the season is not close to over, and they aim to still improve with the time they have left in their season.
Practices are every day, unless there is a game and they regularly start at 2:25 and end at six in the afternoon. Even at practices, things can get pretty heated for the Selma Bears.
“Practice is really intense with coaches watching your every move, and teammates trying to fight for your position,” expresses senior Matthew Mora who is the starting catcher.
Mora explains that baseball is a game that tests your mental stability and exposes your flaws. This, although humbling, only furthers Mora’s passion for the game.
Baseball, like many sports, is a mental game as much as it is a physical sport. Staying consistent can be difficult while balancing schoolwork, sports, and one’s social life. Having days where you struggle and have trouble focusing feels like a step back from your previous progression.
“You practice how you play,” declared Mora.
To prepare their mindset, Coaches use an acronym to help the team; F.A.C.E, which stands for Focus, Attitude, Coachability, and Effort.
“As a coaching staff, we try to gage the players and talk with them about our expectations for them in the things they can control,” explained Coach Hollett.
Hollett reveals that coaching can be tough and humbling. But, over the years he’s learned the trick to enhancing his mentoring abilities.
“Becoming a transformational coach rather than a transactional coach,” he shared, “has made me a better [trainer].”
Even with the hardships of the game that one faces as an individual, this sport helps you get through these hardships through your teammates. The Bears hope to build a stronger brotherhood among themselves to be successful.
“I hope to build a good bond with each other and get better each day as a team so we can win more games,” said junior Adam Ornelas who plays a variety of positions, such as catcher, pitcher, and second base.
As a team, The Bears agree that their toughest opponent this year will be Kingsburg. Since they are Selma’s all-time rival city, it’s only natural for the team to feel this sense of competitiveness toward them.
“Our toughest opponent this year is Kingsburg. They always have a solid squad and are always the team to beat every year,” explained senior Aidan Alvarado who plays first base and is a designated hitter.
Along with beating Kingsburg, the team also hopes to come victorious in their Tri-County- Sequoia League.
As the season progresses, the players and coaches can’t help but think about how far they’ve come in their baseball careers. The coaching staff’s ultimate goal for the Bears is to become good teammates and create life-long bonds. There’s no doubt they will cherish the friendships made and will continue to make the most out of the sport they grew up playing their whole lives.
“I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” said Ornelas.
