Juniors Ethan Moeves and Nick Sheridan have begun their intense Varsity baseball season for Oak Hills. The combination of determination, discipline, and humor drive Moeves and Sheridan to succeed on and off the field.
Moeves began playing at a young age when his parents put a bat in his hand, and he fell in love with the game. Shortly after, he played for the Oak Hills Youth Athletics recreational team. After jumping around many summer baseball teams, he started playing high school baseball his freshman year for the freshman team. His sophomore year, he was moved up to Varsity as a starting center-fielder, and now, he is a junior in the same spot with more drive than ever.
Sheridan started his baseball journey with his Father by tossing outside at the ripe age of two. He played summer ball throughout his life and started school ball for Oak Hills during his freshman year on the freshman team. During his sophomore year, he played for JV, but he moved up to Varsity this year.
Both Sheridan and Moeves have a busy schedule in and out of the season. They have two to three hours of practice every day, with lifting in the morning from six to seven, twice a week. Outside of the season, they have morning lifting as well as hitting or practice three days a week after school. With most of his time taken up by baseball outside of school, Moeves does most of his work in his free bells and X-bell. On the other hand, when asked about how Sheridan manages his academic schedule, he explains, “I don’t have an academic schedule; I go home and play MLB.” He loves baseball so much that he constantly wants to improve, even on video games.
Moeves and Sheridan have faced injuries from baseball, causing mental blocks and challenges. Moeves hyperextended his back while playing in his sophomore season, which he explains was the worst injury of his life, and it caused him to be out for three months. He tried to rush back when he wasn’t ready because he couldn’t imagine not playing, which caused frequent appointments at the doctor’s every other week. Meanwhile, a few months later, Sheridan was at practice when he was hit in the cheekbone by a pitch from his teammate. He explains, “This is by far the hardest challenge I’ve had to overcome. You know how hard it is to step back into the box after getting hit in the face?”
Both players faced physical obstacles, which produced mental blocks, but their team was always there to support them and help them through it. Moeves says, “We’re really close; Some people may think it’s too close. It’s a brotherly bond, a family bond.” On top of this, Sheridan explains that all the players make each other better through competition. While supporting each other, they fight for better spots in the batting lineup and starting spots.
On top of this, the Varsity team has a new head coach who has helped Moeves and Nick become better players and, more importantly, better people. Sheridan said that it was a great start to the new season, and it brought in a great positive attitude. Moeves explains, “The values they show us in baseball translate directly into real life.” Not only this, but they show them discipline in the early mornings and long days of hard work rather than just playing a sport for fun.
In conclusion, Moeves and Sheridan are hardworking, dedicated athletes who support each other and their team. Their positive and fun attitudes depict Oak Hills Athletics, and they’ll continue to have a successful season.
