The start of spring is momentous. Among the things that the spring brings is a pastime deeply ingrained in American culture: baseball. As spring begins to bloom, so do the hopes of teams that have put months of hard work and dedication to perfect their craft. Whether one is playing recreationally or competitively, communally or professionally, the path to success is grueling; however, behind the spirit of the sport, the Aviator baseball team has welcomed the challenge.

The team opened up the season on March 1st against Pacifica Christian on the road, and had their home-opener two weeks later on March 15th against LB Jordan. Though the team battled in the three games during that span of time, it is still looking for its first victory. Despite this, the team has maintained a positive outlook under new head coach Todd French. While his main emphasis remains on winning games, coach French has stressed the importance of continually learning throughout the season: “Our focus is primarily on improvement, both individually as players and collectively as a team. The players are working hard to develop specific baseball techniques and skills, and have showed significant improvement since we began working together in January. I expect this to continue through the balance of the season.” Entering his first season as the team’s coach, French thanks his ten years of coaching experience and Mr. Severns and Mr. Dura for making his transition to coaching at HMSA a smooth one.

French, a former catcher at his alma mater Stanford, recognizes the difficulty involved with balancing work on and off the field. As much as anything, he hopes to communicate lessons on the field that will assist his players off the field. “In baseball, as in life, outcomes are often influenced by factors outside our control. However, we can maximize our prospects if we remain focused on factors within our control. In baseball, we are focused primarily on controlling our H.I.T.S. (Hustle, Intention, Technique, Sportsmanship). If we can improve in these areas, positive outcomes on the baseball field will likely follow. More broadly, most successes in life come from controlling similar variables, such as hard work, determination, skills and teamwork.” The sentiment in the clubhouse is that his goal is reaching realization. Sophomore Josue L. says his coach’s efforts “prepare [him] in many ways, physically and mentally.”

The game certainly has real life implications. Senior Erico B. says, “Baseball really reiterated to me the importance of focusing on the present, to not worry about the past. It’s taught me patience, and how to deal with people.” So, clearly, no matter the outcome of the remainder of the season, May 10th will mark a significant day indeed. For the seniors, the day will signal their embarkment to the rest of their lives, perhaps not being able to enjoy looking forward to playing baseball the following spring, but relishing in the things they have learned from their years of experience playing the game they love. Reflecting on what he will miss most, senior captain Hector L. says, “I’ll miss playing with my boys… this year is much harder to deal with because I’m losing a family.” He added, “it’s hard to think that I have to stop playing in a few months.” For the rest of the team, the season will be all about sending off their brothers in the limelight, and continuing to enjoy their own unforgettable experiences as members of the Aviator baseball team.