Oneonta Club Baseball, Who Needs SA Funding?

Oneonta Club Baseball, Who Needs SA Funding?

By John Gerardi

The Oneonta State’s Club Baseball Team is comprised of 20 select members that try out at the beginning of each fall semester.  These players are chosen by a two-day tryout process, although short it is still a difficult task for the potential new members. Some players that make it through try outs are even ex-members of the school baseball team. The club has practices every Monday through Thursday at 5pm.  However, they not allowed to practice on the school’s baseball field, so they have their practices on an intramural field.  This can sometimes be a struggle for the players due to the fact that they are practicing on a 60-foot field, but normally playing on 90-foot fields.                

  

This team, although different from the school-sanctioned Baseball Team, practices often and plays just as hard.  The school does not fund the Club Baseball Team, so they have to pay for everything out of their own budget.  The Club also has a captain to lead practices rather than a coach like the school’s Baseball Team.  Although the school does not recognize the club, the players are just as serious about the sport.  Last season they even made it to the play offs.  They got to play Monmouth University, Fordham and Penn State at our very own Neawha Park.  They were even one win away from going to Kansas for to compete in the Division II Club Baseball Championship!     

Third year student, Joey Iglesias, is one of the 20 select members of the Oneonta State Club Baseball Team.  This is his second year on the team.  He is extremely dedicated to his teammates and rarely ever misses practice.

“If you don’t make the practice you aren’t going to play because we’re still competitive.” – Joey Iglesias