While most WCHS students were on spring break, a select group of WCHS baseball players attended spring training at Disney’s Wide World of Sports (DWWS)Members of the WCHS baseball team left the first Saturday of spring break and started practice that weekend, initiating a great beginning of the season for the team.
The group of guys who were on the trip consisted of Coach Kraynak; seniors Jordan Doherty, Jarred Lawson, Tyler Morgan, and Matt Schoonover; juniors Matt Anglea, Mike Bush, Ike Meyers, and Caleb Palumbo, Alex Scott and Tim Webb, along with sophomores Dan Bauslaugh and Austin Morgan. The guys were joined by the team’s manager, senior Zach Theiss.
The Team took part in two official practices as well as their first official game of the season while at DWWS. Disney’s WWS is a state-of-the-art sports complex that is fitted for all of the amateur athletes’ needs.
The Baseball Quadraplex consists of four professional-size playing fields, a practice field, batting tunnels, and pitching machines. The team also had access to the Milk House, a loaded indoor training complex.The opportunity to play and practice in such a fine sports establishment has truly benefited the team this season. Coach Kraynak, head coach for six years, said that the team has another advantage: “We have practiced outside eight times.” In baseball, playing on the field is a huge advantage, superior to being in the gym.
This year, the team is returning with all of last year’s starters. Coach Kraynak said of the returning starters that “they are good kids and solid examples.” Last year, the team was young: this year, the team is a veteran team.
Returning starter and senior Jordan Doherty said that the training was “fun but it made me mad to come back to the cold state of Ohio.” A number of the guys shared Jordan’s resentment about coming back to the colder weather of Ohio.
Junior Tim Webb also spoke highly of his enjoyment of the training: “It was great experience to prepare us for a great season.”All in all, the team accomplished a lot of effective training and team building; and the guys enjoyed their time in Florida. The team is now ready for an extremely successful season.
