Photo courtesy: @famubaseballclub
As the spring semester begins, so does registration for FAMU’s club baseball team. The baseball club held an interest meeting last week for students to receive more information on the club and the opportunities available to those interested in participating in the sport.
The FAMU baseball club was founded in 2022 and became the first HBCU to join the National Baseball Club Association in 2023.
The club’s practices and events are open to all students, but as of right now the NBCA roster is reserved for male participants due to the existence of the softball league for female participants.
The meeting consisted of many potential interests ranging from all classifications, as well as current club members. If you don’t have any baseball experience but still want to learn and play the game, don’t worry. The baseball club welcomes all interested students whether you’re experienced or not. The club provides students with a chance to be part of the sport and play ball with other colleges around the state without the requirement of being on the official FAMU baseball team.
According to Rashad Cohen, a third-year engineering student and the FAMU baseball club president, the diversity and inclusivity of the club’s members is a priority.
“We want to have a lot of players who don’t really know the game of baseball to be able to have the opportunity to learn and play at a collegiate level. That might not be on a professional level but still a collegiate association that can experience traveling in a bigger setting and just higher standards. We plan on being diverse by just being the first HBCU in this league and hopefully winning our division and conference games coming into our first season,” Cohen said.
“A lot of our players share a similar story of trying out for the FAMU baseball team and just not making it but still wanting to play the game. We just want to come together to put the talents to use and just have fun with it,” he added.
Ty Andrews, a first-year pre-physical therapy student, attended the interest meeting and shared what joining this club means to him.
“I’ve been playing baseball since I was little and in high school, and I got love for it. I’ve been wanting to play on the real baseball team for a while now, so I’ve just been working hard and just trying to get closer to my dream. This club is what is going to get me there, so I just want to be here and contribute by playing the hardest I can and try to get looked at by the coaches on the real team, and just be myself.”
Before becoming an official club member, there are a few requirements that must be met. Club members must maintain a 2.0 or better GPA, be an active and full-time FAMU student, and pay a $250 club fee.
Although these are the basic requirements to join the baseball club, being a member is not just about the GPA or fees, but also having the qualities of a team player, according to Reggie Williams II, a fourth-year graphic design student and the baseball club’s vice president.
“It’s about how committed you are not only to the sport, but to your peers and just the school in general. Being a member can fulfill more things than just reliving that childhood nostalgia of hitting a ball across a field, but it’s also something that you can use on your resume in the future to show how involved you were on campus,” Williams said. “Showing that you’re for the community as well and not just practicing on the baseball field just to play the sport is important.”
The baseball club season is set to begin on Feb. 9 and continues through April 21. The last date to register is Thursday, Feb. 1.
Those interested in joining but missed the interest meeting should contact the FAMU baseball club president or vice president before the cutoff date on Instagram @FAMUBASEBALLCLUB or call (850) 980-5027. The FAMU baseball club is set to enter the IStrike portal in February, making it an official university organization. Once the club is added into the portal, students will be able to formally apply for a membership in the fall.