University of North Carolina Athletics
Offseason Work Pays Dividends For Baseball
January 13, 2015 | Baseball
The wait from June 2, 2014, to Feb. 13, 2015 may seem interminable for anyone with a rooting interest in Carolina baseball, but for the Tar Heel players and coaches, the work of the offseason provides the building blocks for a successful campaign.
In addition to intrasquad scrimmages and the annual Fall World Series, the fall semester is a time for Carolina to improve both on and off the field. Head coach Mike Fox and his staff work on creative ways to keep the team engaged in skill development and conditioning while still focusing on the rigors of the academic calendar as well as the sometimes delicate matter of clubhouse chemistry.
“I think this was one of the best fall seasons we have had in my 17 years here,” Fox said. “We took our Fall World Series on the road with games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park as well as the old Durham Athletic Park, we traveled for a number of team-building trips and we were active in the community. I feel really good about where we are as a group heading into the spring.”
A highlight of the team-building portion of the fall was a trip to the Charlotte area, which featured rafting at the U.S. National Whitewater Center and a visit to the family farm of former Tar Heel letterman and long-time MLB reliever Paul Shuey. While visiting with Shuey, players and coaches had the opportunity to get some bow-hunting tips from Shuey himself as well as fish.
“The chance to take our team to visit with Paul was a real treat,” Fox said. “Here's a guy who had success at the highest level of our sport but who is still very down-to-earth and willing to bring our entire group in for a great experience.”
Back in Chapel Hill, community service was a big part of the fall away from practice. Projects include visits to local elementary schools and the N.C. Children's Hospital, middle school baseball clinics and the annual Share Your Christmas campaign.
“We do quite a lot outside of baseball during the fall, but none of it really is about us,” senior right-hander Benton Moss said. “It is about the people and how we can serve them. Ultimately, we are just grateful to be able to use our platform to serve those in the community.”
In addition to serving the Chapel Hill and campus communities, the team also had a team-building day at the ropes course at the UNC Outdoor Education Center as well as a trip to the North Carolina State Fair and a local bowling alley.
Another big part of the fall is the annual winter Olympics, a series of conditioning challenges that ranges from strength training and other fitness challenges to distance running and swimming relays. Competition is often very competitive and the Tar Heels are grouped into smaller teams. This year's winners were Adam Pate, Adrian Chacon, A.J. Bogucki, Spencer Trayner and Brian Miller.
“The winter Olympics test each player's individual resolve, mental and physical strength, and willingness to go the distance for their teammates,” Moss said. “It's a grueling set of events in lifting and conditioning but at the end everyone is closer because of it. There are always surprising players who show up to compete during these events.”
Aside from the physical challenges of the fall, the team mixes in a number of more light-hearted competitions as well. The annual Halloween costume and skit competition is a favorite among players and staffers alike. This fall also featured a campus scavenger hunt, a capture the flag tournament and a dodgeball tournament.
Baseball had a standout semester in the classroom as well, with 12 Tar Heels earning at least a 3.0 GPA, putting them in prime position to earn a spot on the ACC Honor Roll.
“At the end of the day, it's about enhancing the Carolina experience,” Fox said. “We want our guys to be competitive and work hard for one another, but also to enjoy every aspect of what it means to be a student-athlete and a Tar Heel.”
