Coming off a very successful season last year, the PV Spartan baseball team is kicking offseason work into high gear to keep the momentum going into the next year. The players are putting in the work now, so they can defeat their competition at state.
Due to COVID-19’s regulations, the PV baseball team has not been able to have open gyms as years past. Derek Stecklein, the PV baseball head coach, is having to trust his team to put in the work. “As of right now the baseball team is not having any team related activities,” Stecklein said. With the absence of team activities, it forces players to get development elsewhere.
Many players have decided to participate in programs such as 5Tool, an enhancement program designed for baseball and softball players.
Carson Albrecht and many of his teammates have been attending 5Tool frequently in their off-season. “We are all getting in the cages, and preparing ourselves physically and mentally for this season,” Albrecht stated. These developmental programs are what many of the Spartans are using to keep the momentum going from last season.
All of the offseason work the PV baseball team is putting in is going towards their goal. “Our obvious goal is to win a state championship,” Albrecht mentioned. Last year, the team won substate but lost in the first round of state. Of that team, seven of the nine starters are going to be returning, giving the Spartans a team with experience at a high level.
Besides a state championship, Stecklein has other goals for the team. “We want to instill a culture of being good people and students first and athletes second,” Stecklein said. Stecklein believes that from this culture, the championships will come. It has worked for him so far. He has coached the team to state back to back years. This accomplishment is a first for PV baseball.
From a very successful season last year and the year before, Stecklein and the PV baseball program hope to keep the ball rolling. As their goal of winning state, the team is putting in the work now to achieve it.
Carson Maxwell • Feb 19, 2021 at 9:57 am
good job
Ryan Mumey • Feb 17, 2021 at 9:44 am
Covid has been difficult for the baseball team for sure, but do you think that it could end up making us closer together in the end? Great Article, cant wait for the season!