Jan. 25, 2010

We hope you enjoyed the holidays and are now preparing like a champion for the 2010 season. We want to take you back in time, when you were a kid, and ask a couple questions. What motivates you to keep working at the game of baseball? Why do you prepare your mind and body to play a sport you love?

I asked these same questions to two former USF alumni that have been faced with tough challenges over their pro careers. USF alumni Jesse Foppert and Taggert Bozied, both 2001 graduates, were drafted in the second and third rounds by the Giants and Padres organizations respectively. Foppert was the 74th overall pick, and Bozied was 90th. Both guys have been faced with key injuries in their career with Foppert undergoing Tommy John surgery in September of 2003 and Bozied blowing out his left knee after hitting a walk off grand slam and jumping on home plate. After going 8-4 with a 3.75 E.R.A. in 2001 in the San Francisco Giants' everyday rotation, Foppert pitched just one inning in 2004 and ten innings in 2005. Bozied has played with six different organizations and played internationally before signing with his current team the Philadelphia Phillies. Bozied has been as high up as AAA and has yet to receive a big league call. Here they are seven years later and the grind continues.

So I ask again, what drives you to continue playing the game you love?

Jesse Foppert writes,

"To put it simply, I love the game. I love everything about it, the everyday preparation and discipline that it takes to compete at the highest level; the adrenaline rush that comes every time I take the ball and toe the rubber mound; and most of all, the camaraderie that exists with teammates working together to create a winning team and successful season. And while the setbacks in my career have been difficult, each has made me stronger and taught me valuable lessons about perseverance and maintaining a positive attitude in the face of adversity."

This past fall Foppert made the decision to come back to school. I asked what enticed him to come back seven years later.

"It was always my intention to come back to USF and finish my degree," he responded. "I really enjoyed the scholar/athlete life at USF, so when the opportunity arose this fall to return and complete my final year of study, I didn't hesitate for a moment."

Taggert Bozied writes,

"When Coach Giarratano came to USF my sophomore year, my eyes were opened to a whole new way of thinking. I remember grinding at the game and thinking that my effort was the sole defining factor of who I was. Problem is, often times when obstacles stand in one's way, effort alone is not enough. Sometimes it actually makes things worse. Coach G taught me how to work efficiently in the right direction.

Understanding all the factors around me created a reality and understanding to change my world for the better. I would have to say it's the challenge of this principle that keeps me going. Sometimes I wonder what my career would have been like without my injury. I often caught myself thinking about things that were out of my control. Time continued to pass and I have seen many friends and teammates move on to bigger and better things. I asked myself, 'What are you doing, man?' In some ways I think if I were to move on, I would be leaving some work unfinished.

One of the greatest feelings is knowing when my cleats touch the baseball field I am completely in control of myself, and the game. I never had that feeling until I met Coach G and Troy Nakamura. They constantly remind me of how my abilities can be put to good use for myself. I play for the inspiration that my family, both blood and USF, have given me. It's a way of life. My development over the years has been a summation of many investments with people around me that are great individuals. In some ways, I feel its my duty and obligation to continue through the pain, both emotionally and physically, to realize and make the most of what so many people have contributed to."

Enjoy every moment on the field and let heart and desire be with you throughout the entire season.

Sincerely, USF Baseball Coaching Staff