As Baruch’s baseball team is in their pre-season, practicing in batting cages and playing scrimmages two to three days a week, there seems to be much reflection on the journey the group of students has undergone. Just two seasons ago, the team etched their names in the annals of baseball history, clinching the city-wide championship.
However, the landscape of the team has changed since that triumph. In the last few years, players bid farewell to many teammates. According to Coach John Jacobs, their departures left voids that seemed insurmountable, challenging the athletes to reimagine their approach and strategy. However, Jacobs and his players say they’re ready to collectively write the next chapter in our team’s storied legacy.
Jacobs is very confident and not very concerned about the past, but more with the future as he feels determined to progress his team to their full potential.
“Last year, we had a tight-knit group of guys who’d been playing together for years, and coming off a championship, I didn’t have to sweat the details. This year, it’s all about honing our preparation,” he said. “We’re going to focus more on the finer aspects of our game plan.”
He also believes his abilities as a coach can turn this team around and have them play for a long season.
“I always feel confident. I’ve been in this game for a decade, both as a player and a coach, so I know what to expect and I’m confident in our abilities to win plenty of games. Confidence breeds success, and I believe in our team’s potential,” he said. Jacobs played for BCCHS when he was a student at the school.
He also elaborated on the advancements in the department, saying it’s become more modern.
“In recent years, we’ve transitioned from traditional paper scorebooks to digital ones. Additionally, our athletics department has invested in VEO game cameras, allowing us to delve deeper into film preparation,” he said.
Using cameras will allow the team to participate in “strategic analysis,” which Jacobs said he’s excited for.
Captain Lucas Roberts said every year he had been at Baruch, he went far into the season and is confident that this year the team has the potential to be a playoff team.
“We may have lost many of our valuable players, [but] I am still confident that we can make it far this season,” he said. “It is going to take a lot of coordination and determination, but it is achievable.”
