The beginning of the season started off with a pep rally to encourage the baseball team for the upcoming season.  On September 30th, as the WMS student body lauded the baseball team assembled on the auditorium stage.       

Coach Thomsen and Coach Malmstrom, the two coaches for the baseball team, have been training their players to the best of their ability. A typical practice involves running, stretching, and focusing on improvements that must be made from the previous game. Coach Thomsen utilizes a chart to organize each game.  The chart shows 9 positions and each player gets to play at least 3 innings and it has to add up to 54 innings.

Their role models are their fathers, ”[he] taught me everything I know”, said Coach Thomsen when asked.  Coach Malmstrom said his father is a “leader by example”.

The coaches agree that the best part of coaching is seeing the players improve and grow. “It’s a place to learn skill,” said Coach Thomsen.

Brandon Schmitt, an eighth grader who pitches and plays shortstop, and Brett Lukachyk, a seventh grader who plays shortstop and third base say that they try to emulate MLB players.  Lukachyk  said, ”Mookie Betts because he’s a good player for the Red Sox.” Schmitt said he emulates Derek Jeter because he’s well known for being a good athlete and for his sportsmanship.  Lukachyk also explained how he blocks out the surrounding noise to concentrate on his at bat, he said that he will sing a song in his head. When asked how he prepares for a game, Schmitt says he does “conditioning”.

Coach Malmstrom described something that he learned as a coach and said,”it is important to allow yourself to make mistakes and when  you trust yourself to take risks, they pay off.”  Let’s hope that those risks pay off this season!