The fall season was nothing new for FTB 2018, with the usual 1 run battles and epic come back wins. Coming off of the summer grind and transitioning into fall is difficult for most players but not this group. We lost a couple of guys to fall sports and gained a few new additions to the FTB family. Even with those missing pieces the team continued to play hard and open the eyes of many scouts. Each and every year, this team is full of talented athletes, the word athletes being the common thread. We aren’t talking about one or two guys. Each player could hold their own in just about any sport containing a ball. Their athleticism is something that is always brought up by scouts and other FTB coaches.
            FTB 2018s are also highly ranked academically. The average GPA for this group is around a 3.6, with a few reaching as high as 4.0 unweighted. Their commitment in the classroom is not a surprise once you get to know this group. It comes down to work ethic and drive. FTB’s 2018 class is extremely motivated to be the epitome of the term student/athlete. It starts at home with their very dedicated parents and is something that the coaches help carry over to the field.
            This past year was important for this grad class. A handful of players committed to college and many others are now on the radar of quite a few programs. This roster also has quite a few impressive uncommitted players that have that dirt bag mentality. Defensively they make the tough play look routine. FTB 2018 has a very strong lineup that is known for being difficult outs. They are aggressive at the plate and have also become solid two strike hitters.
            Many players on this roster have been with FTB since they were in middle school. They are a homegrown group of players that have bought into what the program stands for and how hard our coaches work to get them to the next level. They are a team of guys that want to contribute as much as possible. These guys hate to lose and love to win. That mentality at times is difficult to find with all of the showcase style events on their schedule. No matter what game, these guys want to win. Baseball, board games or even video games, they will compete and do what it takes to win.
            This season the entire pitching staff helped keep the runs to a minimum. They locate their arsenal of pitches for strikes and are known for keeping their pitch counts extremely low. They understand how to pitch and that they can use their defense to get out of innings. It’s not always about strikeouts with these guys. Their goal is to put their team in a position to win a ball game. Our pitching staff is what any coach wants from a group. They are unselfish and love to compete. With the game on the line these guys want the ball and have no problem getting their team out of a jam. The most impressive thing of all is their strike percentage. As a team we stress that we can’t defend walks. The pitching staff takes pride in their work and is all about locating multiple pitches for strikes.
            All in all it was a good season for FTB 2018. They upset quite a few older teams and played some very close games with other very competitive programs in the state. The team is looking forward to camp and for the return of many players that were missing because of fall sports. They are also looking forward to any new additions that may show up to FTB camp in January. Come July of next summer, they hope to have more kids on the college radar, with maybe a few leaning towards a commitment. FTB’s 2018 class is a special group with unbelievable athleticism. Seeing them get older has been bitter sweet, guiding them through high school and seeing them flourish has been the most rewarding of all.