Lion Pride

I have never been more proud to be a part of UNA athletics as I was this past Saturday. In case you were unaware I am currently in my second year as the baseball manager here at UNA. I absolutely love UNA baseball. I have learned many things that I will be able to take with me as I pursue coaching as my future career. Anyway, this past Saturday we lost a double header to the University of Montevallo. This being a conference series those two loses hurt us pretty bad. All year it seems that we continue to find ways to beat ourselves and don't come up clutch in situations. We did this again last Saturday. After the game our coach proceeded to tell the team, in the team meetings, the same old broken record things he has had to say all year. That we just can't find a way to be clutch. After coach gave his spill it was junior second baseman Dewayne Gunn that stepped up and called out the rest of the team. He called every single player out, including himself, and said that if they didn't make a change then they were going to watch their season go downhill. Well the guys took that challenge to heart and that night went and hit on their own. Me and the other manager, Josh Wetzel, threw as well as the players throwing to themselves. The team knew that a change needed to be made and the next day they came out and beat Montevallo in game three 12-6. There is no doubt that as a team we still have more work to do. We can still get so much better. But, for me personally, I have never been more proud of our team and I have never been more proud to just simply be known as a UNA Lion.

Excellence in what you do is an important value, especially for those of us who have a conscience. You can’t lie to yourself. If you look back and realize that you could have done better, it’ll eat at you until you fix it. I don't do anything half way. -Cal Ripkin Jr. (from his book-Get in the Game)