The social distancing movements being made by all states across the nation are affecting how athletes train. Athletes rely on gyms and other workout facilities to get better at their sport, with the social adjustments of these type of services being closed; we are required to get a little creative on how to train! It can be frustrating to change your habits, but change is inevitable and one most overcome this situation to succeed.

There have been many social media platforms which are providing at home work outs to help people stay in shape, which is one of the amazing benefits of today’s technology. We have platforms to still succeed even not in person, we have communication structure to help people thousands of miles apart from each other.

As a Division III baseball player how am I getting better to prepare myself to play again?

Baseball skills wise, I have gotten very creative! Its as simple as throwing a baseball into a net or into a wall to work on little things. There are many drills which I do which I can do solo to improve skills. Although it definitely can be more beneficial practicing with a teammate, this will do for the next month or so!

I have gotten very creative with my workouts. Normally I am used to using heavy weights at a gym, now without this service I am limited to how I do this. I have learned many new workouts that involve no weights, which can be just as effective as weights.

Many social media accounts have been helping us out with little ideas such as this:

There are many ways to stay fit in isolation! You just have to get a little creative and enjoy it for what its worth.

With the recent surge of cases and scare from the COVID-19 Virus, it is sad to say; the NCAA has canceled athletics for the rest of the Spring Semester. All of the hard work and dedication lots of our fellow athletes have put it, will not be tested. Plymouth State Athletics were very fortunate to be able to play some games: Baseball and Lacrosse. Many schools all over the nation did not get the chance to play yet.

This new virus is starting to get out of hand and needs to be controlled. This is why sports teams and leagues of all sorts have suspended and canceled seasons. If you think about it, sports are a very easy way for the virus to spread. People from all over the nation and touching and spreading the virus through sports. Whether that is a friendly fist pump after the game or touching the same ball. I personally believe that this was a good call for many schools and leagues to try to keep their athletes healthy and prevent the spread of the virus.

Major League Baseball has suspended al operations until April 9th at the earliest. All 30 clubs have suspended practices and workouts to try to keep their athletes healthy. Although they cannot meet as a team, players are still getting their workouts in at home. The MLB released the following statement regarding COVID-19:

“Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our players, employees and fans.  MLB will continue to undertake the precautions and best practices recommended by public health experts.  We send our best wishes to all individuals and communities that have been impacted by coronavirus.”

With the pause of baseball and other athletics, it makes us think. We must be grateful for the game we love. Sometimes it takes situations like so to make you realize what you have is special.

Take the next month or so and think about how life has changed because of this situation and be thankful for all the luxuries we have.

Source

Perry, Dayn, and R.J. Anderson. “Coronavirus Update: MLB Opening Day Pushed Back as League Makes COVID-19 Decision.” CBSSports.com, 13 Mar. 2020, www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/coronavirus-update-mlb-opening-day-pushed-back-as-league-makes-covid-19-decision/.

Baseball season is finally here and your Panthers are starting to rev it up and start it’s games! I could not be more excited for this season. Our team has worked harder than ever and will be shown this year. New Hampshire’s White Mountains certainly do not help us with the weather and harsh conditions for playing, but with help of the luxurious All Well North Field House, we are prepared for battle.

Last year was a great year for our offense, leading the conference in home runs and stolen bases and we look to piggy-back off that positive year and continue this during the 2020 season. Although the team graduated a couple powerhouse hitters, we have lots of new talent looking to step in their place and keep it rolling.

The Panthers opened up vs. Eastern Nazarene College last Tuesday. Unfortunately we took the loss after a nail biting 10 inning ball game, 9-5. There were lots of positives to translate to our next game, and also negatives which are being fixed before our next game.

The Panthers travel to Fort Myers, Florida for the Gene Cussic Classic this Friday to face different schools from around the nation. Opening up Friday morning for a double header vs. Finlandia, we look to take both games and start off hot. The Panthers face nationally ranked Johns Hopkins and Coast Guard. This will be a good test to see how the season will follow. A good week in Florida can only help the season.

The boys are more than excited to get going and have a tremendous season. Later in the season I will be posting recaps on the season and individual games for an inside look on Panthers Baseball.

Source

“2020 Plymouth State Baseball Schedule.” Plymouth State, athletics.plymouth.edu/sports/bsb/2019-20/schedule.

Baseball is right around the corner! This means all of the Major League players have packed there bags and are heading down to Spring Training. Spring training is a chance for all 30 clubs to have their players get ready for the season. It is the teams first time back together since the end of the 2019 season.

Spring training is an awesome time for the players and fans to get ready for the 2020 season. Although the players have been working out and improving their skill throughout the winter months, this is a great time for them to build team chemistry and meet the new players on their team. Team bonding is a major part in baseball; in any sport really. If you do not get along with your teammates, the team will most likely not succeed. So it is crucial for these players to enjoy themselves alongside with their teammates.

Mike Trout enjoying some time off with this Spring Training

Every club in the league is allowed to bring lots of players within the organization to come play during spring training. The rosters mostly consist of minor league players that have potential in making the actual season roster or could get called up during the season.

This is a big opportunity for some players that have the chance of making it to the big leagues. If one performs well in spring training, it will open the eyes of the organization and will grow their self-worth. Playing well during these games and practices can make or break a players career.

So, how does the format of spring training work? There are 2 leagues; The Grapefruit League and the Cactus League. Both leagues only play their respected 15 teams. Each team will play 33 games during this time period. Although you might think this is a lot of games in such a short period right before the season; not every player is playing every day. For example, the stars of the teams will only play a small portion of the games. Most will not even play the whole game. As you can see, Spring Training is relaxed, but important. Baseball season is finally here!

Source

Axisa, Mike. “MLB 2020 Spring Training Schedule, Dates: When Do Pitchers and Catchers Report for All 30 Teams?” CBSSports.com, 12 Feb. 2020, www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-2020-spring-training-schedule-dates-when-do-pitchers-and-catchers-report-for-all-30-teams/.