The Miracle League of Westfield to call Roundtripper Academy home

By STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Roundtripper Academy in Westfield, Ind., is celebrating three decades in the baseball and softball training business in 2023 by launching an effort to help youths and young adults with mental or physical challenges to enjoy the diamond as participants.
The Miracle League of Westfield powered by Roundtripper plans to bring all-inclusive baseball and softball fields by converting space on its grounds.
Miracle League teams play on a custom-designed, rubberized turf field that accommodates wheelchairs and other assertive devices while helping to prevent injuries.
A group of parents whose children have trained at the facility approached Roundtripper Academy owners Chris and Sue Estep with a request.
“They have special needs kids that love baseball and are always there cheering on their brothers and sisters,” says Sue Estep. “We decided to make this happen. There’s a definite need in Hamilton County. We did the research and it’s definitely something we can do.
“Baseball is what we do 14 hours a day, seven days a week, 365. Why not provide those opportunities to have a league (that’s inclusive to all athletes)?
“We have so many amazing families that have come to us over the years and participated in teams and activities at our academy that it provides an opportunity for volunteers. That is a big part of these leagues to facilitate the games.”
The Hoffmans are one such family that will benefit from The Miracle League of Westfield and the stewardship of the Esteps and Roundtripper.
Adam (who trained with Chris Estep and earned a baseball letter at Butler University in 1997) and Jenna Hoffman’s son Lincoln Hoffman (14) plays for the Roundtripped-based Indiana Mustangs and is an eighth grader at Westfield Middle School.
His sister Londyn Hoffman (7) was born with an undiagnosed medical condition. A gene change has caused developmental delay. A “Riley Kid” (Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis), Londyn just beat cancer for the second time.
Baseball runs deep in the family.
“We’ve always got backyard baseball going in the summer,” says Jenna Hoffman.
Adam and Jenna were both raised in Minnesota and moved to Westfield 13 years ago. Her father — Michael Cummins — played in the Minnesota Twins system.
“She has used a walker or assistive device to get around her whole life,” says Jenna. “It is her happy place watching her brother play baseball.
“She lights up. She loves to hold the bat. She loves when big brother helps her run the bases and cheers her on. But that’s as close as she’s gotten to any organized sport.”
Hoffman says there is a need for volunteers at games, including a public address announcer and “dugout moms.”
“Every player will have a buddy that we refer to as Angels In the Outfield,” says Jenna. “They are there to make sure that child that is participating in The Miracle League has the best day of their life while they’re on the field.
“Every player who gets up to bat hits a home run. We need energetic voices on gameday.”
There are other Miracle League operations in central Indiana, but this would be the first one serving Hamilton County.
“Our current goal to get the seed money to get the league started is to raise $700,000,” says Sue Estep. “Our ultimate goal is to continue to provide funding for this league so no child will have to pay to play in the league.
“We’ll be able to maintain and do things long-term.”
There are currently three fields at Roundtripper Academy (which opened its doors in 1993) — youth baseball/softball, middle school baseball and high school baseball. A local engineer is working on the site plan to fit in The Miracle League of Westfield field — which are smaller in size — as part of a multi-use area.
“We’re going to turf our smallest field,” says Chris Estep, who notes that the surface will be short nap in the field to accommodate wheelchairs, walkers etc., with longer turf in the outfield.
Miracle League fields tend to have fences 115 to 125 feet from home plate with bases 50 feet part and the mound 33 feet from the plate.
He was on-board right away when approached about getting involved with Miracle League.
“It is one of the coolest projects that we will ever be a part of,” says Chris Estep. “There’s nothing like helping kids. You get to see them smiling, playing and interacting.
“I think it’s going to be something really, really awesome. I’m excited to get started on it. All the way around it is a feel-good project.”
Chris Estep is also head baseball coach at University High School in Carmel, Ind.
Sue Estep notes that the Miracle League of Westfield will also serve young adults that have aged out of school systems.
“(We can) keep them engaged in the community, have social interaction and opportunities to make connections,” says Sue Estep.
“We’re at the beginnings of this and we’ll take the league as far as it needs to go,” says Estep. “If we raise the funds and there is a need for additional, we will.”
The goal is to get the league up and running in the summer of 2023 — even if its a condensed version.
The Miracle League of Westfield will follow rules set up by The Miracle League (national organization).
Rally For A Cause is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 6 at Roundtripper Academy, 16708 Southpark Dr., Westfield. There will be inflatables, food trucks, face painting, a balloon artist at music by Tommy Baldwin from 3 to 6 p.m. (free admission, donations welcome).
An adult party follows. The Country Summer Band plays from 7 to 9:30 p.m., with headlinder Jai Baker 3 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. There will be food and drink trucks (cost is $50 per person). Roundtripper’s Foundation — The Youth Sports Development Group — is hosting the event.
To purchase tickets, please visit www.roundtripper.com.
To learn more about The Miracle League of Westfield, visit www.miracleleagueofwestfield.com. There is an interest page for those who may have a child or young adult that wishes to participate.

Advertisement

With increased strength, Sharp develops as a pitcher

BY STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Reese Sharp has thrown a baseball 97 mph.
The right-handed hurler regularly tops 92.
It was with added muscle that he increased his velocity and raised his profile in the game.
“Strength has always been one of main qualities,” says Sharp, who plays for Indiana University and is with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer. “Being strong and explosive has helped me develop as a pitcher.”
Born and raised in Hamilton County, Ind., Sharp began school in the Hamilton Heights system before moving to Noblesville early in his elementary years.
He played baseball for three seasons at Noblesville High School and finished up his prep career at University High in nearby Carmel, Ind., where he helped the Chris Estep-coached Trailblazers to the 2019 IHSAA Class 1A state championship with 17 strikeouts in the title game against Washington Township.
A rec ball player when his family lived in Cicero, Sharp began taking lessons from Estep at RoundTripper Sports Academy in Westfield at 9 and played for the travel organization led by Estep — the Indiana Mustangs — from 9U through the end of high school.
It was at Noblesville that Sharp was introduced to serious strength and conditioning training by former Butler University pitcher Brian Clarke.
Sharp credits Clarke not only for teaching him about weightlifting but the mental side, too.
The Millers head S&C coordinator taught his athletes about E + R = O (Event plus Response equals Outcome).
“Outcome doesn’t determine how you perform,” says Sharp. “It’s something I have taken with me throughout my career. It’s really helped.
“The process is what’s most important. You can’t control the outcome.”
Sharp has learned to pitch with a short memory and keep his composure even in the tightest jams. He doesn’t let it bother him when opponents and fans are chirping and he’s given up a big hit or multiple runs.
“There’s nothing you can do about it now,” says Sharp. “You’ve got to go and execute the next pitch.”
Sharp, a 6-foot-3, 225-pounder, redshirted as an IU freshman in 2020. In his two seasons with the Jeff Mercer-coached Hoosiers, he is 3-8 with a 5.86 earned run average in 34 appearances (33 as a reliever). In 66 innings, he has 90 strikeouts and 34 walks. All four of his saves came in 2022.
Throwing from a high three-quarter arm angle, Sharp uses a four-seam fastball, “spike” curveball, slider and “circle” change-up.
“My four-seamer — on a good day — is sitting about 92 to 94 and touching 95,” says Sharp. “I got it up to 97.
“My curveball is 12-to-6. My slider has horizontal movement and is completely different than my curveball. It breaks away from righties and and into lefties. My change-up has a little big of tail, drop and depth to it.
“Developing four-pitch mix, the goal in my mind is to be a starter. But whatever the team needs me to do to win I’m going to do that.”
While in Bloomington, Sharp has worked with two pitching coaches — Justin Parker and Dustin Glant.
“(Parker) is a really good mental coach,” says Sharp of the coach now at the University of South Carolina. “He’s very good at getting you prepared to compete and teaches pitchers how to be explosive off the mound. He’s one of the reasons I got a velocity jump in college (coming throwing 89 to 92 mph and touching 93 in the first couple bullpens).
“(Current Indiana pitching coach Glant) is kind of like a pitching guru. He knows his stuff and is a really smart guy. He was with the Yankees and learned a lot of analytical stuff. He has brought that to IU. He helped me develop my slider. It’s become on of my main swing-and-miss pitches.”
The CCBL season is in his second week. Sharp has pitched four innings.
“There’s a really cool atmosphere here,” says Sharp. “We have one ‘off’ day a week. We use those to relax. Baseball can take a toll on your body.”
While there has been no youth camps yet, Sharp says he enjoys sharing his baseball knowledge with youngsters and sees coaching in his future.
Sharp did not play baseball in the summer of 2019. He went to IU, took summer classes and became familiar with the campus and the weight room there.
He played with and competed against friends in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield in 2020.
Last summer, Sharp was with the New England Collegiate Baseball League’s Winnipesaukee Muskrats.
A Sports Marketing and Management major, Sharp has two more semesters to complete his degree.
Adam and Sophia Sharp have two children — Meme (25) and Reese (21). Adam Sharp is a long-time firefighter in Carmel. Sophia Sharp is a nurse. Meme Sharp-Machado is a Noblesville graduate who was a diver at the University of Pittsburgh.

Reese Sharp (Indiana University)

Reese Sharp (Indiana University)

Reese Sharp (Indiana University)

Reese Sharp (Indiana University)

Former Hamilton Southeastern, Ohio State outfielder Gantt a second-year pro in Indians system

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

As Tre’ Gantt goes to the ballpark each day in his second season as a professional baseball player, he always packs his top tool.

“It’s my speed,” says Gantt, who is in the Cleveland Indians system with the Low Class-A Lake County (Ohio) Captains, where Luke Carlin is the manager and Pete Lauritson the hitting coach. “I can cover ground in the outfield. When I get on base I’m trying to wreak havoc out there.

“I’ll have the pitcher think about me rather than the hitter and leave something over the plate for him.”

After logging 37 games and hitting .197 with the Arizona League Indians in 2017, the 2018 season has seen Gantt move around. He played six games for the High Class-A Lynchburg (Va.) Hillcats, 40 for the Short Season Class-A Mahoning Valley (Ohio) Scrappers, one for the Triple-A Columbus (Ohio) Clippers before making his first appearance in the Lake County lineup Aug. 22.

Going into the Captains’ last three games of the Midwest League schedule, Gantt had played a total of 55 games with a .188 average, one home run, two triples, five doubles, 10 runs batted in, 21 runs scored and five stolen bases.

Gantt, a 5-foot-10, 180-pounder who swings and throws from the left side, was selected in the 29th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft after three seasons at Ohio State University (2015-17).

With the Buckeyes, Gantt played in 139 games (109 as a starter) and hit .294 with two homers, three triples, 22 doubles, 40 RBIs, 80 runs and 26 stolen bases.

In 2017, he made 55 starts and hit .315 with two homers, two triples, 13 doubles, 18 RBIs, 46 runs and 14 stolen bases. He was usually playing left field and batting No. 1 or 2 in the order.

With head coach Greg Beals guiding the team and promoting a spirit of “brotherhood,”, OSU won 35 games in 2015, 44 in 2016 and 22 in 2017.

“We went through a lot of ups and downs at Ohio State,” says Gantt. “My sophomore year was a pretty good year. We won the Big Ten Tournament and went out to (an NCAA) regional.

“Junior year was the opposite of that. It was a down year. We had to stick together, work hard together and feed off each other.”

Gantt has three semesters left toward a Sport Industry degree from Ohio State.

What about the adjustment to pro baseball?

“It’s an everyday thing,” says Gantt, who turned 22 in May. “You’ve got to be ready to play and give your all every single day

“With hitting, you’ve got to be on time for the fastball. That’s the biggest thing.”

Gantt played three seasons at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind. (2012-14). Born in Davenport, Iowa, he moved to Missouri in second grade and then on to central Indiana in 10th grade.

At HSE, his head coach was Scott Henson.

“I got a lot of work ethic from him,” says Gantt of Henson. “He taught us about going about our business, working hard and not taking any days off — a lot of positive stuff.”

Gantt hit .411 with four homers, four triples, 13 doubles, 28 RBIs and 25 runs as a junior in 2013 as he was named honorable mention all-state, all-Hoosier Crossroads Conference and the Hamilton County Player of the Year by two outlets. He was also chosen for the Indianapolis Star Super Team.

In Gantt’s senior year with the Royals, he hit .371 with nine RBIs and 26 runs scored and was an all-region central team selection.

After moving to Hoosier State, Gantt played three summers of travel baseball with the Indiana Prospects and one with the Indiana Blue Jays.

Tre’ is the son of Kelly and Jodi Gantt of Fishers, Ind. He has an older sister named Tori (23).

Tre’ Gantt, a Hamilton Southeastern High School graduate who played three baseball seasons at Ohio State University, is now in the Cleveland Indians system. The swift outfielder was drafted in 2017. (Steve Krah Photo)

 

Indiana Primetime Sports, Klipsch-Card bringing Finch Creek Fieldhouse to Noblesville

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Central Indiana athletes are getting more space to train and compete thanks to a partnership between Indiana Primetime Sports and Klipsch-Card Athletic Facilities LLC.

As a part of a new park in Noblesville, the Finch Creek Fieldhouse will provide a place for multiple sports, including baseball, softball, basketball, football, soccer, lacrosse and rugby.

The 130,000-square foot state-of-the-art facility located in a new public park at 16289 Boden Road, just north of Hamilton Town Center and near Ruoff Mortgage Music Center is due to open its doors in September.

Finch Creek Fieldhouse will have 56,000 square feet of open turf suitable for all field sports and five full basketball/volleyball courts.

A second phase to the project will bring outdoor baseball fields.

“There is a need in the community for indoor space, especially turf for baseball and all field sports,” says Indiana Primetime Sports president Ryan Cole. “It will be a premier facility for baseball practice and training for select organizations.

“It will be a premier facility for baseball practices and baseball training but it is a 100 percent a multi-sport facility. Baseball will have the biggest presence but you can expect to see flag football, lacrosse, rugby, field hockey and soccer all played on the indoor turf fields.”

Indiana Primetime had 24 baseball and softball teams in 2018.

Other organizations will also call Finch Creek home.

When all is said and done, Cole expects more than 50 baseball and softball teams to use Finch Creek as their primary practice and training location. That equates to more than 500 players.

Plans call for 11 batting tunnels and bleacher seating for 180 at each court. There will also be a mezzanine for viewing on the courts and fields. Below that will be office space, concessions and restrooms.

Currently, Indiana Primetime Baseball and Softball is training in various places around Hamilton County.

With the alliance and new facility, Primetime’s baseball, softball and football will be headquartered at Finch Creek and basketball will remain in the Klipsch-Card-owned Pacers Athletic Center at Grand Park in Westfield.

Brandon Lafferman, co-founder of Indiana Primetime Sports with Cole, will run the PAC as Cole handles all operations at Finch Creek.

Cole will oversee the facility and partner with different groups, scheduling and executing different events on the turf and courts.

Two other Indiana Primetime Sports employees — Quentin Brown and Matt Nicholson — will also transition to Finch Creek.

Brown will continue to run Indiana Primetime Baseball and will oversee operations of all baseball programming inside Finch Creek. Nicholson will continue as the youth director of Indiana Primetime Baseball. Both will assist with facility management.

“We believe we have always done it the right way with the kids’ best interests at heart,” says Cole. “Our team feels that we are beginning to reap the benefits of staying true to our mission.”

A schematic look at Finch Creek Fieldhouse in Noblesville, Ind. (Indiana Primetime Sports Image)

 

Andriole sees opportunity as he takes over Guerin Catholic program

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Rich Andriole made memories, fostered relationships and enjoyed lots of success in his 20 seasons as head baseball coach at Indianapolis Cathedral High School.

After a brief time away from the high school game, Andriole has accepted an invitation to have an impact in a school community with a similar values.

Andriole, a 1988 Cathedral graduate, went 504-97 from 1997-2016 at his alma mater with six state championship game appearances (the Irish won it all in Class 3A in 2001 and Class 4A in 2007 and finished as 4A runners-up in 2006, 2010, 2011 and 2013) while watching Jake Fox, Tommy Hunter and Dillon Peters make it to the major leagues and is now in charge at Guerin Catholic in Noblesville.

The GC website describes it as a “college preparatory school serving students from diverse backgrounds and preparing them to be servant leaders through authentic faith formation, academic excellence, and student life opportunities.”

Andriole is happy to be joining the school community.

“It’s a breath of fresh air to be here,” says Andriole after leading his first fall open field session was Tuesday, Sept. 26. “You can tell there’s a lot of growth and development after one day — mentally and emotionally. It’s going to be really exciting to watch.

“They have the opportunity to build on a foundation. They can take it to a while other level and leave a legacy. It’ll take work, but anything worth having takes work.”

Guerin Catholic, which opened in 2004-05 and fielded its first baseball team in 2007, is looking for its first sectional title. The Eagles went 13-11 and played in the 3A Yorktown Sectional in 2017.

A part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, Guerin Catholic gets many of its students from Hamilton County area schools Our Lady of Grace, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, St. Louis de Montfort and St. Maria Goretti.

Andriole is in the process of assembling his GC coaching staff. He has gotten a commitment from 2006 Cathedral graduate and former Irish assistant Brad Henke.

As in the past, Andriole says he expect the Eagles to field three teams — varsity, junior varsity and either freshmen and C-team.

Andriole decided to hit the pause button on the baseball portion of his career and had landed in a comfortable place.

“I spent a lot of time the last year learning and believing God has a plan and this worked out,” says Andriole. “It had to work out with my employer, with Guerin Catholic not having me in the building and with my wife and kids.”

Andriole was a classroom educator for more than two decades before taking a job as manager of talent development at Dauby O’Connor & Zaleski, a Certified Public Accounting firm that specializes in real estate and development in Carmel.

Steve Dauby and Sean O’Connor encouraged Andriole to pursue the Golden Eagles position.

John Carpenter, currently the head coach at Perry Meridian and a longtime friend of Andriole, talked about how he was refreshed by taking breaks during his long coaching career.

“It allowed him to catch his breath,” says Andriole. “I had never taken a break.

“(Cathedral) has been a good place for our family for a long time. But 23 years is a long time to be anywhere. I feel blessed to have been part of something that was really special. One of our goals was to leave the program in a really good place.”

There were plenty of things worth remembering on the diamond, but also the weddings, births and shared meals. When the Guerin Catholic announcement came, the texts and calls came flooding in.

“Those things feel good,” says Andriole. “I’d do anything for any of them.”

With Ed Freje as head coach, Cathedral beat Penn for the 4A state championship in 2017 with Andriole and his old Irish staff watching from a Victory Field suite.

Rich and Janet Andriole have three children — Nick (19), Jake (18) and Allison (14). Janet is also a 1988 Cathedral graduate. Nick got his diploma at Cathedral and went on to the University of Dayton. Jake decided to transfer to Guerin Catholic for his senior season after three years at Cathedral. Allison is a freshmen volleyball player at Cathedral.

“This was a big decision for our family,” says Andriole. “Janet was on-board from the get-go. It’s not easy to be the wife of the coach, especially when you have three kids. Janet has been a rock. There are times when i was barely there in the spring. My kids grew up at Hair Field (former home of Cathedral baseball).

“Jake and I had an emotional conversation. (His transferring after a state championship season) is something I don’t take lightly.”

Rich Andriole, who won more than 500 games and two state title at Indianapolis Cathedral, is now the head baseball coach at Guerin Catholic High School in Noblesville. (Steve Krah Photo)

 

Bunnell has Westfield playing with character, commitment

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Ryan Bunnell might change the words of his mantra from time to time to stay fresh.

But the head baseball coach at Westfield High School in Hamilton County, Indiana, continues to run a program based on character, commitment, hard work and extra effort.

“Everyone has influence,” says Bunnell. “How they use that influence is up to them.”

Bunnell has been in charge of the Shamrocks since the 2003 season, meaning 2017-18 is his 16th as coach and 15th as a WHS teacher.

The Rocks have won well over 200 games to go with three sectional (2008, 2009, 2011), one regional (2009), one semistate (2009) and one state runner-up finish (2009) plus four Hoosier Crossroads Conference titles (2009, 2010, 2013, 2015) on Bunnell’s watch.

Kevin Plawecki, who is now a catcher with the New York Mets, was a senior and batted No. 3 for Westfield in the 2009 IHSAA Class 4A State Finals then played at Purdue University before beginning his professional baseball career. Plawecki still stays in contact with Bunnell.

A 1991 graduate of Northwestern High School in Kokomo, where he played for coach Kent LeBeau, Bunnell put in one season at Huntington College (now Huntington University) for Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Mike Frame and finished his college studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Bunnell likes his Shamrocks to “stay in the present” and “control the controllable.”

Knowing when the make the right play and quality at-bats are valued highly by Westfield baseball. QAB points can come from hard-hit balls, walks, hit-by-pitch, stolen bases, dirt-ball reads and other things.

The Rocks look to “win the freebie war” — meaning they give up fewer walks, errors, etc., and seeks have more big innings (defined by three runs or more) than the opponents. They have crunched the numbers at Westfield and know the win percentage is high when the Rocks have more big innings than their foes.

It’s a philosophy Bunnell picked up at a clinic from former Mississippi State University coach John Cohen and it’s kind of thing that happened frequently in successful Westfield seasons like 2009.

Bunnell says the program usually sees up to 70 kids try out for about 50 spots on three teams — varsity and two junior varsity squads (Green and White). Having two JV units allows for flexibility and playing time. For instance, the Rocks had five catchers in the freshmen class in 2017 and just one among the sophomores.

Westfield’s 2018 coaching staff is to include John Oestreich (pitching coach), Mike Hansen (third base/catchers coach), Bill Lindsey (hitting/corner infielders coach), Kevin Entwistle (JV Green/outfielders coach) and Evan Kosmoski (JV White/pitching coach).

All JV home games are played at Grand Park with some varsity games being moved there if wet weather means the Rocks can’t play on-campus. With this relationship, Bullpen Tournaments is allowed to use the Westfield varsity field for some of its summer tournaments.

Feeding the program are recreation and 12U to 15U travel teams (Westfield Rocks) from Westfield Youth Sports, Inc., plus middle school squads that play at Shamrock Springs Elementary.

“Baseball is strong here for sure,” says Bunnell.

A portion of Bunnell’s summers is spent with wife Michell and four children (Kaylie, A.J., Cooper and Beau) and coaching with the Indiana Bulls travel baseball organization.

“They have been very good to me,” says Bunnell. “We don’t practice a whole lot in the summer. The crispness of the game gets away. We need that repetition in practice.”

The coach approves of the pitch count rules adopted by the IHSAA in 2017 (1 to 35 pitches requires 0 days rest; 36 to 60 requires 1 day; 61 to 80 requires 2 days; 81 to 100 requires 3 days; and 101 to 120 requires 4 days).

“These are young kids and they are still developing and kids are throwing harder than ever,” says Bunnell, who had tended to use his starters once a week during the regular season with a non-conference game on Tuesday and conference contests on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The past few seasons the Hoosier Crossroads Conference (which has featured Avon, Brownsburg, Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Noblesville and Zionsville and will add Franklin Central in 2018-19) has employed a three-game series for baseball and Bunnell has been a fan of the format.

“You get a true conference champion,” says Bunnell. “I’ll be sad to see it go (if it goes away with the growth of the conference or reduction in the number of games allowed by the IHSAA).”

Currently, the association allows 28 games plus a tournament prior to the state tournament series.

If he had his way, the season would actually expand, state tournament stages would be seeded and championships would be determined by a series or at least through double-elimination.

“It would create excitement and it would be great to see it showcased that way,” says Bunnell. “We have to stop with the one-size-fits-all approach. Each sport has its uniqueness.”

With the HCC format, the Friday game under the lights has often drawn big crowds and taken on the atmosphere of prep football.

Of course more games would necessitate more time to get postseason games in and there are already issues now where sectional games have to be played from Wednesday through Monday and still adhere to pitch count rules.

Bunnell said this narrow window, the draw and variables like weather and graduation ceremonies can put teams on one side of the bracket at a serious disadvantage.

How would seeding work?

Bunnell notes that it is done in Ohio and rankings such as those produced by MaxPreps could be used.

“There are a lot of options,” says Bunnell.

To concentrate on mental toughness, Westfield athletes take part annually in Shamrock Advantage Week. In brief after-school sessions, speakers cover various topics like mindfulness, trust building and becoming an elite competitor. Bunnell has been one of those SAW presenters.

Ryan Bunnell is going into his 16th season as head baseball coach at Westfield High School in 2017-18.