Eyes focused on the pitcher, knuckles white from gripping the bat, clothes dirty from sliding into home plate last inning, junior Sam Kruse hits a single at one of the baseball practices at the high school.

Kruse is just one member of the Ponies baseball team this year.  With their first game on April 3, the team is getting ready for the new season with an intense craving for victory.

“I will just sit on the bus if it’s an away game, or the bench if it’s at Stillwater, and just try and visualize myself making the right play, and handling various different situations that might come up,” said Kruse.  “Those minutes before the game starts are my time to get in the zone.”

The players have been training hard for the upcoming season.

“I do a lot of throwing,” said senior Tommy Stanton, “and just making sure that my arm is ready for the season.  I will also build up my legs so that they have the strength for the season, as well as going to the batting cage to train my eye.”

Leading up to the season, players will attend training camps.

“We practice a lot there,” said Kruse.  “We’ll do various activities, whether we’re just playing catch, in a batting cage or actually out on the diamond playing a scrimmage.  Being at the training camps also makes me conscious about eating healthy.  That’s a big way that I get ready for a season is just eating the right foods.”

Staying in shape for the baseball season is not just some short-lived endeavor.  The players participate in different activities during the off-season to keep themselves active and fit for baseball.

“Weights are a big part of it for me,” said junior Arthur Seeb.  “I’ll also do many baseball related things like going to the batting cage or just playing catch.  Aside from baseball though, I love to run cross country, and it’s a great way to stay in shape.”

When they are not playing baseball, the players have a variety of different interests.

“I like to fish for bass and musky during the summer,” said Seeb.  “It’s really relaxing, and when you’re training a lot and active a lot, those types of things can be really nice.”

For others, joy aside from baseball can be found in the simpler things in life.

“For me,” said Kruse, “I’m most happy when I’m just taking a walk along the beach by myself, or when I dedicate an entire day to a Harry Potter marathon.”

Hopefully, all of the hard work and dedication that has gone into preparing and training for this baseball season will all pay off on April 3, when the team hits the diamond for the first time together.