3. How important has Coach Hogard been to the success of the Riverside Rebels baseball program? What has it been like playing for him? Coach Hogard is an outstanding coach. Whether he has a team that is full of talent or no ability at all, he does all he can to make sure that the team is competitive. Over the years that he has coached, if you look back, you can see the success he has had. All he wants to do is win, and that ' s why I love him. He is a consistent coach and wants the best for each individual kid. I am very lucky and grateful to be able to play for him. I wouldn’ t want to play for any other coach. He is a coach and a father in one. There are times that he gets on you, and it ' s to make you better. His competitiveness is why I enjoy being around him. You feel good when you know you know someone wants to win just as much as you. 4. You lose some great teammates from last season ' s group. Who will have to step it up to fill those shoes, and what will you have to do to continue to help the team win? Losing the pitching side like Cash( Gillis), Thatcher( Durham), and Bryce( Smith) definitely makes it more of a challenge while also losing guys like Brayeson( Timms) and Jackson( Mann) on the defensive side. That ' s also five good bats you can’ t get back. We are going to need Tucker( Emery), Caden( Cavasos), Maddox( Stone), and myself as well to be solid every game defensively and offensively while the younger kids learn and get better over the course of the season. We have guys moving to spots defensively where they aren’ t used to being, so we just need each one of them to stay as solid as possible and not try to do too much. For me, I need to continue to do what I have done every year. Stay competitive every game and perform the way I do. I need to be a good role model and leader for the younger kids and hold everyone accountable to the standard. 5. You suffered a terrible injury in the postseason last year. What was that experience like, and what has the rehab and recovery process looked like? This was definitely one of the scariest things that has happened to me. I remember getting on the mound and feeling good for those five pitches I threw. Then, I went to throw the sixth pitch, and all I felt was that big pop. I couldn’ t move my arm, and I just felt helpless. All I could think about at that time was whether I was going to get to play again. The recovery side of things was a challenge but also a blessing. With teammates checking on me and being there by my side, and Coach Hogard there for me all through the summer, it was pretty easy. I remember after I had my second surgery, because I had slipped and broke it again, he texted me and said,“ Don ' t worry, I am going to be right there with you the whole way. Neither one of us is scared of hard work.” Having that on your side makes everything ten times easier. After that, I had to work on getting motion back with stretches and ease my way back into throwing and then long tossing. The biggest blessing that came out of this whole thing was my relationship with Jesus Christ. It is crazy how something like this can bring you closer to your savior. Before I broke my arm, I had a relationship with Christ, but I wasn’ t consistent with it, and I had it in the back of my head. Than the night I broke it, I was so frustrated at myself and God. I went to bed that night and woke up, and just felt terrible. Well, weeks later, after we had won the state finals, I was sitting in church. Pastor Steve had said what is your identity? What do you see when you look at yourself, and what do other people see? Well, my mind automatically went to baseball. Then he said, if it is something of this earth, then you aren’ t putting Christ as your centerpiece. That hit me hard, and from that day on, I have had my identity in Christ and realized that baseball isn’ t always going to be here, but Jesus Christ will be. 7. What would you like to do beyond high school? I plan to go to a junior college for a year or two and play college baseball, then transfer to a four year to continue to play college baseball. Then, after some good seasons, head to the MLB and see what I can do in the show. While I am in college, I am going to get an education degree and a sports medicine degree so I can one day coach a baseball team or be an athletic trainer. I would like to be around baseball if the lord allows. I think playing or not playing, I can help people’ s lives and hopefully make others around me better. 8. Your brother was a left-handed pitcher and player for Riverside a few years ago. Do you guys talk about the game? My brother is a big part of my life, especially when it comes to baseball. He is one of my biggest supporters I have. If I don’ t see him on the days I play, he will text me and ask how it went. Then, if he isn’ t at the house, we will sit on the PlayStation and play a game and run through how the ball game went. We will sit there and go through each at-bat and each play. Talk about things I could have done better and things that stood out. Aside from me playing baseball, we will talk about MLB or college baseball. It is nice to have someone to sit down and talk baseball with. It helps you learn the game more. 9. What do you want Rebel fans to remember you for? When Rebel fans look back or hear my name, I want them to think of me as the guy who never gave up and was the hardest worker that always gave a 110 %. I want to be known as a role model for their kids in the future to be known as the guy who didn’ t take shortcuts and did it the right way. I want to be remembered not just for being a great player but a great person. I want to leave a mark on not just the school but the community for the kids that are coming up. Most of all, I want to be remembered as the messed-up kid who didn’ t have it all together, who loved Jesus.