Pitching your heart in the game

As the sun shines brighter and the soil grows richer, a new baseball season begins. And this season, the players are confidently preparing to fight for the Los Angeles City Section Championship title.

Before the league games take place in April, the players warm up by playing in tournaments such as in Las Vegas.

On Saturday, February 9, the boys lost 4-5 in a game against Oxnard High School though it was an overall close game. The players fought hard but ran out of the necessary fuel to push through in the last inning..

Knowing they have each others’ backs, they are ready to take on the next game. In preparation for a long season, the boys are training hard for three hours daily, working and running in the rain, and building up muscle by lifting weights.  

“I’m not only concerned about wins and losses. For most coaches that’s the only thing they care about. I’m doing my best to develop them into young men, into men of character,” coach Matt Matuszak said.

The baseball field has a tendency to draw and unite boys from different backgrounds for one reason only: a shared love for the game. The boys have learned to work with one another, support one another, and most importantly be teammates.

“It’s like a brotherhood. Sometimes there’s tension, and sometimes there’s love, but we’re all in it together. So in the end, it’s us against them. We have to work together or we won’t succeed,” junior Brandon Cuervo said.

Challenges are coming up, such as their games against El Camino Real Charter High School and Birmingham Charter High School, but luckily for the first time in five years, the boys’ coach will be staying to coach a second season at GHC. The boys have high hopes that their continued bond with Matuszak will help them succeed.

“I think we’re going to have an outstanding season. We’ve got a lot of upperclassmen who are really hard workers and really good leaders. We’ve got a really good group of talent,” Matuszak said.

Baseball is a sport with a fast tempo with no time to dwell on mistakes; it’s crucial to learn from them and quickly move on to the next play. For these Highlanders, the sport isn’t just about collecting trophies, but obtaining the experience as well, and keeping their hearts in the game.