IT’S HERE. IT’S FINALLY HERE.
That’s right ladies and gents. Welcome to 2013. I hope you all had a Happy New Year and a wonderful holiday season. It’s now time for all of us to really celebrate. Why? Because a new baseball season is right around the corner!!
Fall 2012 is over. Heck, 2012 is over. The greatest thing about the New Year is that everyone gets a fresh start. Everyone gets a chance to once again prove their worth, on the field and off. With the season fast approaching, expectations are higher than ever. Academic responsibilities are of the utmost importance as the team prepares for an arduous travel schedule. Get it together now so you don’t have to worry about it later. The last thing you want to be thinking about is a missed assignment or exam when you’re about to face one of the best pitching staffs in the country.
Just put yourself in a position to succeed. It’s as simple as that.
After a few lovely weeks at home, I was more than ready to come back to my second family in Seattle. Seeing all of my teammates on that first day back was incredible. All the California folk made sure to remind the others of what it’s like to live in sun. Although, the stories from our more northern teammates about frolicking in the snow did make me a little envious. Just a little.
The one thing that was looming on everyone’s mind was the six-minute mile. The six-minute mile is a traditional test of will power that no one looks forward to completing. The tension in the locker room was palpable. Every conversation started with, “Hey bro, how much did you run over break?” The thing about this type of conditioning test is that it’s almost all mental. You have 6 minutes of pain and then it’s done. Forever.
I can’t say I was surprised when nearly the entire team defeated this beast of a challenge on the first try. That’s just the type of guys that make up the 2013 Huskies. They are hard-nosed, aggressive, and hungry men that would do anything for each other. It’s a different brand of baseball. We fight for everything we get. Everything is earned. You can see the competition heating up as players fight to lock down their positions before February 15th, our season opener at UC Davis. Their confidence levels are steadily increasing, as we trust each other more and more. If you don’t trust in your teammates in this game you aren’t going to have a winning team. You’ll lose. A lot. Which, by the way, is never acceptable to any athlete I know. We hate losing much more than we enjoy winning.
I’m continuing to make strides in my rehab from Tommy John Surgery. In the middle of December, I got cleared to start my throwing program. It feels weird to try and re-teach myself a movement that I have been doing since I was a little boy. Having said that, my arm itself feels great. The best part of throwing again is the mental load that has been lifted, knowing that I am progressing just as I planned. The support from my coaches, teammates, and peers has been absolutely incredible. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now. I love this city. I love this school. And I love my second family, the Husky Family.
The best is yet to come.
Omaha.
Until next time, folks.
Josh Fredendall
