Select Notes from Interviews

Head Coach Rob Childress

On the excitement of being back at it…

“Obviously excited. It’s the first official day of team practice this spring. We got a great group. They worked really hard this fall and this winter. We definitely look forward to getting started today. We couldn’t ask for better weather, and that’s the reason we’re going tonight, to get these guys under the lights and give them a chance to play the game under the lights, which they haven’t had a chance this year.”

On the competition across the board…

“Well, it’s everything. We talk about the fall being a staging process and guys kind of put themselves in a position, but it’s really how they do these three weeks leading up to the season opener. It’s ever changing throughout the entire season. The fall is more of a staging process and once we get going this spring it’s about who’s ready to go and who’s ready to play when it’s time to play.”

On the leadership…

“Well, we don’t have team captains. I hope our team captains emerge throughout the struggles and as we go into the spring. When you have a team captain vote in the fall it’s usually a team favorite vote. You don’t really know who your true leaders are until times get tough and that’s one thing we’ve had since we’ve been here. I hope we have thirty-five leaders and not just one. That opportunity doesn’t pigeon hole three guys where they’re the only ones that feel like they can say something. Everybody’s got a voice.”


Shortstop Mikey Reynolds

On his health and mentality…

“First of all, it’s an elbow. I was planning on signing and coming back. I just wanted to make the best of it, and that’s what I’ve been doing, lifting, getting stronger. That was key to me, to gain a lot of weight. That’s what I’ve been doing. Proving people wrong, exactly what you said, showing people I can come back and I can play better shortstop than I did last year with my arm good.”

On being a leader…

“I wouldn’t say vocal as much as just showing by my actions. That’s what I respected growing up is looking at people and how they approach things and that’s what I wanted to do. Come out here early, show the freshmen how it’s done, and not vocally, just by my actions.”

On the group around him in the infield…

“Oh yeah, we’re extremely talented. At third base, we got three guys that can play third base, second base, and even shortstop. Logan Taylor is a great defender. He has great hands, and at the plate he has great hands as well. Charlie Curl is obviously a great defender,  and Blake Allemand is the most athletic dude I’ve ever met.”