For club baseball, the fans are few and far between. The players are not nationally known and heralded for their great talents. Few if any players will ever be drafted or sign with professional teams. So why do people play then? The simple answer is love of the game. Club baseball players play the game for passion and respect for the game and that is why the league exists.
Each year hundreds of club baseball players will suit up with their college or university’s name across their chests and take the field to compete against one another. The National Club Baseball Association or NCBA resembles what one could only describe as a Junior Varsity (JV) format. Players on the club teams often come from bigger varsity programs where playing time is limited and so is the room at the top. Where most baseball players are finished with their careers after high school, the NCBA has revived their hopes and given them a second chance to live out the passion for a game that desperately needs it. T
The National Club Baseball Association is comprised of many of the same schools that compete on the varsity level in the NCAA. Teams are spread all across America, from University of Southern California all the way to Clemson University. In all, there are 144 teams across the country, all competing for the chance to play in the NCBA World Series, which carries the same format as NCAA World Series. The NCBA also carries other similarities with the NCAA, such as having All-American teams and even a Homerun Derby Challenge.
So what is it like to be a member of a collegiate club baseball team? The practices and games are played on sub-par fields. The majority of NCBA teams don’t even have coaches to run practices or make game decisions. Players and team captains more commonly make team decisions and keep things running for each club. Clubs like Clemson University experience NCBA life without a coach everyday. “We’re able to make this work without a coach because we have a core of dedicated players who have a passion for the game,” explained Clemson’s starting catcher Chad Rainwater. For Clemson’s club, the players all coach themselves and offer encouragement to each other to make their team successful. It’s that same type of attitude that runs other teams across the country.
The desire to win championships is also what drives players in the NCBA. Players strive to win their conferences and reach the regional playoffs, and then ultimately move on the eight team World Series. “Our biggest hope for this season is to win the National Championship. That is why we play,” said Clemson’s Matthew Bregel. Currently, Clemson is in the midst of conference play and ready to enter the regional playoffs where they’ll be hoping for a chance to compete for the unheralded Club Baseball National Title.
So when the glory of having fans and notoriety is missing from the picture, club baseball players need not worry. Passion and respect for the game of baseball are all these players need. In the end, the second chance that many get to play baseball for a few last seasons is more than enough to offset the cost of not being a NCAA player.
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